Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut
by The Blue Time Ranger
Summary: It's been five years since Ojamajo Doremi ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their lives. But was that really the end of the story? After a conflict inexplicably brings the Ojamajos back into each other's lives, they must band together to battle a dark specter from the Majokai's past that intends to destroy the world's future...
1. And So the Adventure Begins

_Five years ago..._

Doremi Harukaze, all decked out in her junior high uniform, rushed down the beach, hoping that the boy she wanted to see was still there.

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, casting a radiant glow across the sand and water and giving the scene quite a lot of ambience.

Doremi took a few gazes around the area, suddenly catching sight of someone. There he was.

Not wasting any time, Doremi rushed over to the boy, panting heavily due to how fast she was running.

Looking up at the boy and regaining her composure, Doremi quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter, just like she had those four years ago, when she had first become a witch.

"I got this for you!" Doremi exclaimed, holding the letter towards the boy and holding her breath.

A few seconds passed, though we can't see the boy or his reaction.

A little more time passed, and Doremi smiled brightly.

Putting the letter back in her pocket, Doremi walked forward a couple steps, whispering something into the boy's ear.

"Thank you..."

The scene fades away, and Doremi begins talking.

 _"I've never been so happy in my life. Though things weren't the same as they were before, now that our group had split up, I was happy. Life was good, and things were stable. Five years passed since that day, our lives staying in relative normality. But then, something happened..."_

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger proudly presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut  
_ Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

Author's Note: All right, I'm back, with a story I've been wanting to do for a good few years! The original _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl_ , my first big Ojamajo Doremi story, is something I had fun writing, trying to continue the legacy left behind by one of the greatest mahou shoujo anime shows ever. However, when I look back on it nowadays, I suddenly realize "Hey, I can do a lot better now that I'm more proficient at writing!" That, basically, is what _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_ is all about. It'll basically be fifty chapters long, sorta like an anime series, with more plot twists, more character development scenes, and many things I wanted to put in the original story but couldn't. Simply enough, this will be much more true to my original vision of the story. All right, enough of my pointless rambling, let's get on with the show!

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of twelve years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi or any of its affiliations. It belongs solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

OP/ED Note: The opening theme for episodes 1-17 is "Mirai Start" by Mimori Suzuko and the ending theme for episodes 1-17 is "Koi Suru Miracle" by Gokujou Seitokai Yuugeki and Sharyoubu (figured I'd let you know since I'm not posting the actual opening and ending sequences anymore, to avoid getting my stuff taken down again).

* * *

"POPPU!"

"Why do you always fall for that, Doremi?!"

Sixteen-year-old Doremi Harukaze began chasing her thirteen-year-old sister Poppu across the Harukaze household. Not much seemed to have changed, despite the long time since their magical adventures had ended.

Doremi had long ago decided to let her hair down every now and then after her boyfriend had complimented her hairstyle, so she wore it down occasionally. Nowadays, her preferred attire was a pink vest over a bright aqua blue shirt, a pleated yellow skirt, and Capri shoes that Nick had often pestered her to try.

Poppu hadn't changed much either, though, like Doremi, she had matured quite a lot during the five-year interim. Her hairstyle hadn't really changed much, but the gaggle of boyfriends she'd had during her time at Sonatine Kindergarten often wanted her to let her hair down like her big sister, so she did that on occasion, too. Everyone at Misora Middle School had complimented her whenever she had her hair down.

The siblings' mother, Haruka, watched from the kitchen, quite amused at her daughters' antics. Despite maturing greatly in the past five years, the two still retained a lot of their childlike innocence.

"Did Poppu do her thunderstorm trick again?" Keisuke Harukaze asked.

"Just like when they were kids," Haruka giggled.

As the two parents watched their kids, they suddenly twitched a few times, going completely rigid as they stood there. Their eyes flashed red for a second as they began to slowly walk towards Doremi and Poppu.

"Even after all these years, you still fall for that, huh, sis?" Poppu giggled, her pink ponytails bouncing.

"You know I don't like having thunder erupt right in my ears, especially when it's you faking it, Poppu!" Doremi exclaimed.

As Poppu reached over to help her sister up, she saw her parents walk up to her, looking like they were in a trance of some sort.

Only Doremi noticed that her parents' eyes were glowing red... the sure sign of evil magic.

Episode 1: The Act of Rebellion! Five Years Later, the Adventure Begins!

Hazuki Fujiwara looked up from the book she was reading, her hazel eyes twinkling as she looked outside.

Hazuki had grown up quite nicely during the few years she'd spent studying at Karen Girl's Academy. She'd let her hair grow a few inches so that it framed her face perfectly. A lot of the boys had swooned over her, too. Over the years, she had finally lost the glasses when her parents wanted her to try out contacts. It took Hazuki a few weeks to get used to it, but she eventually decided that she preferred contacts.

Now she was riding smoothly through her first high school year at Karen Girl's Academy. It didn't feel the same without Doremi or her friends, but she was pulling through.

"How's everything going, Hazuki?" Hazuki's father Akira asked as he walked into the room. The orange witch didn't notice that, like Doremi's parents, Akira's eyes were glowing red.

"I think I'm done with studying for now," Hazuki answered. "I'm ready for that test now."

Hazuki turned around to face her father, just then noticing his glowing eyes.

* * *

"And number forty-two goes up for the shot!" Aiko Senoo exclaimed to nobody in particular, dribbling a basketball outside her home in Osaka. During the five years since the end of her adventures, Aiko had let her hair grow a bit longer, but the most visible change was that she herself had grown a couple inches. Now she was about as tall as Momoko was, which made it easier for her to reach the higher basketball hoops that Leon Sokuryoku always insisted on using for his challenges. Aiko still played a lot of sports, being on the local high school basketball team.

"Ai-chan," Aiko's father Koji called.

"Just a sec, pops!" Aiko responded before flicking her wrist and taking a shot. The basketball went in perfectly.

"And Senoo SCORES!" Aiko exclaimed, punching the air in victory as Koji walked out.

"Still practicing, Ai-chan?" Koji wondered. Aiko didn't realize that, just like the others, his eyes were glowing a sharp red.

"The big game's comin' up soon, pops," the blue witch responded. "I'm stayin' in top shape so those fools have no reason to mock us."

"Your mom's coming to the game, too," Koji continued.

"She is?" Aiko gasped. "They finally let her take a day off?! What a perfect time, too, huh? She gets to see me knock those losers from Okinawa into next week!"

Aiko picked up the ball and walked up to Koji. "You wanna take a few shots?"

* * *

Onpu Segawa put down her microphone to write down the lyrics to her newest song, a cover of one of her favorite Misato Aki songs (she knew the lyrics anyway, she just wanted to be sure).

Onpu was still quite the popular idol even after five years, though she had recently decided to try out for movies alongside her work on Battle Rangers, which to everyone's surprise was still very popular nowadays.

Over the five years since she gave up being a witch, Onpu had let her hair grow down a bit, though she usually tied it into two ponytails instead of one like she used to. It was a look that seemed to go down really well with her fans.

"Is everything okay in there, dear?" Onpu's mother and manager Miho asked, walking into the booth just as Onpu had finished recording.

"Clear as crystal, okaa-san," Onpu responded. "Just about finished with my Kuchibiru Daydream cover, so we can go see the movie we promised, right?"

Miho nodded, walking up to Onpu and taking a look at her composition. "You've really been working hard on this, haven't you?"

"Ever since I announced this cover, I've been trying to keep the original feel of the song while giving it something that makes it more my style as well," Onpu giggled.

Suddenly, Onpu realized something. She looked over at her mother in confusion.

"Okaa-san, your eyes are glowing red for some reason..."

* * *

Sixteen-year-old Nick Kelly was thinking hard on his way home from school. Something was on his mind, but he couldn't quite put a finger on what it was.

He brushed a bit of his spiky brown hair out of his face, his similar-colored eyes blinking a few times as he searched his mind for what was bothering him.

Nick often believed that trouble tended to find him no matter where he went, so he knew to stay alert when he felt that something was bothering him.

Every now and then, Nick's mind would flash back to the adventures he'd had with his best friends and fellow former witches.

Nick had met them for the first time at nine years old as an exchange student, quite literally bumping into Doremi on the way to gym class. The two had become fast friends, but when Doremi hastily excused herself from the class, Nick realized that something was up. After school that day, he'd discreetly followed Doremi to the Flower Shop MAHO-dou, meeting the other members of Doremi's group and baby Hana as well. Becoming quite taken with the cute little infant, Nick had spent the day there and helped the girls take care of Hana.

But when Majorika, the girl's mentor, had busted in and started talking about the Majokai (not even realizing that Nick was there), the proverbial gig had been up. Rather than freak out about the situation as Doremi had expected him to do, Nick had stayed calm and agreed to keep their secret if he could help out with Hana on occasion. After a conference with the queen, she'd agreed on the deal. Nick had been given magical powers like the girls, but tended to be more restricted on what he could do with his own magic, due to Aiko treating him more like a "magical slave" (Aiko's term and idea) than an actual apprentice. The girls had placated Nick with the fact that it was only to make sure he would keep his promise, one of Nick's defining traits being that he never broke a promise.

Nick's first shining moment came during the final battle between the Ojamajos and the FLAT 4. When Oyajide had attempted to use a powerful electricity attack to finish Hana off, Nick had stepped up to try and repel the attack, willing to face the consequences if it meant saving the life of the little baby he'd grown so enamored with. Thankfully, Nick's bravery had been rewarded by the queen after the battle by allowing him full access to his magical powers.

Nick also managed to come through when the former witch queen had possessed Momoko Asuka, a girl Nick was pretty sure he had a crush on, to bring Hana to the Cursed Forest. Nick had bravely stepped up to buy the queen valuable time, dueling the possessed Momoko until the queen could purge her of Majotourbillon's influence.

And when Doremi had locked herself in the MAHO-dou after graduating elementary school, Nick had helped Doremi come back out by reminding her of all the times they'd bonded with everyone, hoping that Doremi wouldn't throw it away.

After all had been said and done, he had accompanied Momoko back to New York with his own family, getting letters from the girls on occasion. (In one of the more memorable ones, Aiko had actually apologized for treating Nick like a "magical slave" so long ago. And everyone knew how tricky it was to get Aiko to apologize for something like that.)

His mind snapping back to the present, Nick saw his house coming up quickly. Suddenly realizing what today was, he broke into a sprint.

"I'd better not keep Momoko waiting," Nick stated to nobody in particular as he continued to run.

Nick always had a sleepover with Momoko for one weekend out of every month. This was due to a monthly trip that his parents had to take for their job (they both worked for a technology company just outside the city). When Nick had been younger, this trip had always left him in the care of a babysitter, or some of his other relatives as he grew up. But when he'd become better friends with Momoko, Nick's parents had allowed him to stay with the Asuka family when they went on their trip.

That time had come, basically. Nick's parents were getting ready for their trip, and Nick was on his way home to get his gear for the weekend. Nick was never very patient for anything. Most of the time, his impatience had led the Ojamajos straight into trouble, but Nick had always managed to get them out of it in the end. So, Nick liked to consider his impatience both a strength and a weakness.

After finally reaching the front door, Nick brushed some dust off of his clothes (the dirt road he usually tended to take as a shortcut home from school had been extra dusty today for some odd reason) and knocked twice on the front door.

"Mom! Dad! I'm back!" Nick exclaimed, reaching for his key and heading inside. Then, he noticed something that seriously irked him: his parents hadn't responded to his call yet. Normally, whenever he called for his parents, they'd respond within five seconds. Now, nothing had happened for almost a minute, and Nick was starting to get worried.

"Eh, they're probably getting ready for their trip," Nick noted, laughing softly to himself as he headed for his room.

But as he started up the stairs, some unseen force slammed into his stomach and sent him tumbling back to the ground floor.

"All right, who's the wise guy?!" Nick shouted.

Nick quickly picked himself up, only for something to strike him in the back, causing him to crash back to the ground.

"Okay, whoever's playing a joke on me, this isn't funny!" Nick shouted, instinctively going for his wand, only to realize that he didn't have it.

Unfortunately for Nick, that moment of distraction cost him dearly, as something hard impacted the back of his neck the very next second, instantly knocking the consciousness right out of him.

The last thing Nick saw as his vision closed down was a familiar figure approaching him.

* * *

As Nick tried to adjust his vision to get rid of the darkness covering it, he noticed someone was staring down at him.

 _I swear, if that's whoever hit me, I'm gonna destroy him,_ Nick thought.

But as his vision began to clear up, he noticed it was actually Momoko, who was gazing at him with a concerned look.

"You okay, Nick?" Momoko asked.

Momoko hadn't changed much in terms of appearance, still holding her hair in her signature ring-shaped buns, though she let her hair down more than she used to. She still wore her earring, having promised Majomonroe she would never take it off.

"M-Momoko?" Nick asked. "I... I didn't know you were here..."

"I kinda got impatient waiting for you, so I decided to come over and pick you up," Momoko admitted. "You were out for a while..."

"I was out? What the heck happened to me?" Nick wondered. "Did I get hit by a freight train or something?"

Momoko just shook her head. "You might not believe this, but your parents attacked you."

"They WHAT?!" Nick screamed, only to feel a sharp pain in his back. Momoko quickly wrapped her arms around Nick to steady him. "Okay, so shouting is _not_ a good idea when my back hurts... wait, how'd you know it was my parents?"

"When I got to the house, you door was hanging open and I... I saw your dad backhanding you in the neck. Then, Rhea-san came downstairs and they just walked out of the house. They passed right by me, like I wasn't even there," Momoko recounted.

"Jeez, talk about your bad movie plots..." Nick groaned.

"Did you need anything, Nick?" Momoko wondered.

"I... I should be fine," Nick replied. "Just give me a bit to get my strength back... that backhand HURT..."

Momoko kept her arms around Nick so she could steady him as he stood up. Nick flashed a smile at Momoko, suddenly realizing just how close they were to each other.

 _She's still on my mind even after what just happened,_ Nick thought. _I've had a crush on her since we met, but... am I falling in love with her? Have I always been in love with her?_

What Nick didn't know was that Momoko was having similar thoughts.

 _I never realized how handsome he looks when I'm looking at him up close like this,_ Momoko thought. _Am I in love with him? I did kiss that Okajima kid, but that was more of a congratulations than anything else..._

"Come on, let's get you to the couch," Momoko stated, "and I'll get you a soda. That always helps me when I'm feeling like this."

As Momoko walked into the Kelly family's kitchen, Nick continued to think about the bombshell his mind had dropped on him.

 _I never thought about it, but she's downright_ _ **gorgeous**_ _like that,_ Nick thought. _Oh, man, Nick, you really have it bad for her, don't you? My question is, does she feel the same way? I've never asked her because I'm scared of losing our friendship, but I don't know if five years is too long..._

Momoko came back holding a bottle of Mountain Dew, Nick's favorite soda, and again Nick noticed how gorgeous Momoko looked. After a couple more seconds of debate, Nick came to a decision.

 _I'll give it a try. At least I can get it off my mind this way._ "Hey, Momoko?"

"Yeah?"

"There's... there's something I've wanted to say to you for a while now," Nick started. "Oh, god, I hope I don't sound stupid saying this..."

Momoko instantly perked up at this. _What? Oh, my god, is he going to...?_

"Well, Momoko, it's actually been a few years since I've started feeling like this, and... I... oh, jeez, I must sound so stupid, Momoko," Nick stated, cursing himself for fumbling his words.

Nick stood up, his back not as stiff as before. "I'm no good at showing my feelings in words, so if it's okay, I'm just going to do this."

Before Momoko could ask what Nick was doing, he had laid his hands on her shoulders and leaned forward, planting his lips onto hers.

When their lips connected, Momoko's eyes shot open to their widest. _Oh, god, he_ _ **does**_ _feel the same way!_ Momoko thought. After about a second or two, her eyes closed and she leaned into the kiss, returning it with all the emotion she could.

Nick was relieved to know that he hadn't made a complete and total idiot of himself.

When they separated, clearly out of breath, Nick looked at Momoko, seeing nothing but love in her emerald-green eyes.

"Is that what you wanted to say, Nick?" Momoko gasped, still short on breath but extremely happy.

"Yeah," Nick answered. "I love you, Momoko. I think I always have."

Momoko couldn't help but smile. "I love you, too, Nick. I think I felt the same way."

As they reached out to hug each other, Momoko suddenly remembered something. "Hey, Nick! I just remembered, when your parents walked out, I saw something really strange. When I got a good look at Rhea-san, her eyes were glowing red. You think it has something to do with why they attacked you?"

"Has to be," Nick answered, cuddling with his new girlfriend. "If I've learned anything from my years as a witch apprentice, glowing red eyes are _never_ a good sign. But... who or what is responsible for it?"

"Not sure," Momoko continued. "We'd probably need some first-hand experience to figure this one out, since this problem is obviously magical. Why don't we postpone the sleepover and head to the shop?"

Nick perked up at that. "You mean Majomonroe-san's shop? It's been ages since you've been there!"

"I have a feeling Majomonroe dealt with this before," Momoko giggled. "It'd be the best place to start. Let's go!"

Nick nodded, and together, the green and yellow witches rushed out into the early evening streets hand in hand.

After about fifteen minutes, Nick and Momoko had reached Majomonroe's Magical Sweets Shop.

"Well, Momoko, what do you think we'll find in there?" Nick asked.

Momoko smiled at her boyfriend. "Hopefully answers."

As Nick and Momoko stepped into the shop, they were unaware of the fact that Minori and Kenzou Asuka were standing nearby, or that a strange figure was watching them from afar.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

On the next episode...

Doremi: Hey, everybody! It feels so good to be back!

Aiko: It hasn't really been that long, has it?

Fami: Um, try FIVE YEARS, Ai-chan.

Onpu: We've all been busy doing something or another, but now we've returned!

Hazuki: I'm so happy Kelly-kun and Momo-chan confessed their feelings for each other!

Doremi: But this is only the beginning of this adventure, right?

Momoko: That's right! Next time, we all meet up in the Majokai and try to find out just what's going on, why Nick's parents attacked him, and hopefully who's behind it...

Aiko: Sounds like a lazy couch potato's storyline.

Poppu: Ai-chan, don't be rude!

Hana: Hana-chan's so excited! So excited!

Momoko: So am I, Hana-chan, but we'll have to wait a bit for the next episode.

Hana: WHAT?! HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT?!

Fami: Only about a week, I think.

Doremi: I hope a week is all it takes, because I really wanna see where this is headed! But wait... who's that strange girl with the long keys? And what's with that shadow thing?!

Nick: Next time on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_! "Escape to the Majokai! The Ojamajos Stand on Solid Ground!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamonds!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!


	2. Ojamajos Unite

Nick: Previously on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_ , it was finally the start of a brand new adventure after five long years!

Momoko: And that adventure began with me and Nick realizing that we had feelings for each other. I couldn't imagine anything more romantic...

Doremi: But something threw a wrench into that when Momo-chan revealed that Kelly-kun's parents had attacked him! What's up with that?

Hazuki: That's what we're trying to find out. Hopefully, we'll find each other somehow.

Aiko: Talk about sappy, when we come back to the show after five years with those two acting all lovey-dovey to each other.

Onpu: Ai-chan, be nice!

Hana: WE'RE FINALLY BACK! HANA-CHAN IS SO EXCITED!

Poppu: She's still hyper as ever, huh?

Fami: Hey, am I getting a part in this? I don't want people forgetting me just because I was in only one episode of our OVA series!

Doremi: Relax, Fami-chan. You never know.

Aiko: We now join our story already in progress!

Nick: Ai-chan, that's MY line! Don't steal it!

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger proudly presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut  
_ Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

On Today's Episode: Nick and Momoko arrive at Majomonroe's Magical Sweets Shop in hopes of uncovering the cause of Nick's parents attacking him. After a bit of searching, they find a hidden door to the Majokai, following the way to the queen and the other Ojamajos. After a revealing conference with the queen, the Ojamajos acquire brand new powers, powers that they intend to use to solve a deeper mystery...

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of twelve years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi or any of its affiliations. It belongs solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Momoko?" Nick asked, feeling a little concerned about his new girlfriend as they approached Majomonroe's Magical Sweets Shop. "I know how much Majomonroe-san meant to you, and I know it can be hard revisiting old memories sometimes..."

Momoko just nodded, smiling lovingly at Nick. "I'll be all right. She left everything the way it was before she died. She left me with good memories."

Nick nodded back, reaching for the doorknob and slowly turning it, unaware that Minori and Kenzou Asuka were standing nearby or that a strange figure was watching them from afar.

Nick quickly realized that Momoko was right; everything inside the shop was exactly as Majomonroe had left it before her untimely death.

"Where should we start?" Nick wondered. "There's gotta be something in here that can help us..."

"Let's split up and start looking," Momoko answered, and the two retreated to opposite ends of the store to begin their search for something to help them figure out the current conundrum.

After about ten minutes of searching, Momoko called Nick over to the main counter, holding two shards of a shattered green crystal.

"Nick? Do you remember this?" Momoko asked, her eyes sparkling.

Nick took a good look at the crystal shards, his eyes widening as he realized what it was.

"Is that... is that my wishing crystal?" Nick asked, still gaping at the emerald jewelry.

"I can still remember that you used that crystal for me," Momoko giggled. "It was the first time that I realized you probably had feelings for me."

"I would have used that wish regardless," Nick answered. "I was so worried about you that day."

Momoko blushed at that. It had been one of the last adventures they'd gone on before saying goodbye to their magical lives. Hana had been abducted by a mysterious character, and the Ojamajos had set off into the Majokai to find the perpetrator. After a long while of fruitless searching, they'd encountered someone who looked like Onpu, only with jet-black hair and a pure black witch outfit. It turned out that this fake Onpu was created by Majoruka, who was still bitter at the Ojamajos for defeating her two years before, as an act of revenge against Majorika. Near the end of the confrontation, the fake Onpu had used a powerful spell to put Momoko into an eternal sleep, much like the real Onpu had been subjected to at the end of the Ojamajos' first adventure. Nick had acted without any hesitation, using his wishing crystal to bring Momoko out of her sleep and taking that moment to battle and defeat the fake Onpu.

"I never forgot what you did for me, Nick," Momoko stated, blushing lightly. She couldn't stop herself from leaning forward to plant a kiss on Nick's cheek.

As the two returned to their search, a curious journal caught Momoko's eye. It didn't look like Majomonroe's diary, so maybe it was a clue.

Momoko took the journal off of its stand and started flipping through the pages. After about ten pages, she gasped in surprise.

"Nick! I was right! Majomonroe did deal with this sort of thing before!" Momoko called. "Come here and look at this!"

Nick rushed up to his girlfriend, casting a glance at the journal page that Momoko had pointed out. _"The essence of a soul returning to darkness,"_ Nick read. _"Returning a soul to darkness is a very advanced form of dark magic, only usable by the most powerful dark wizards. It is a spell that completely takes control of the target, allowing the caster to do whatever he wishes with them. This is a heinous spell that I must abolish. It is what caused the death of my grandson._ That pretty much exactly matches what happened to my parents. But my question is, who cast that spell on my parents?"

"That's the last page in this journal, so I can't find anything else in here," Momoko answered. "But if we head to the Majokai, maybe jou-sama could help us. I'm sure she knows what to do."

Nick looked a little bewildered at Momoko's statement. "It's been five years since we've been there, Momoko. What if things are different?"

"We won't know unless we try, Nick," Momoko noted, heading towards a closet door in the back of the room. "It's probably our only chance. You think you're ready for this?"

Nick looked around for a bit, then turned back to Momoko and nodded.

"Okay. Let's do this," Nick answered.

Momoko smiled, reaching for the doorknob and opening it to reveal a bright light behind the door.

"Momoko?"

Spinning around at the mention of her name, Momoko was beyond shocked to see that her parents were right behind them. Nick didn't even have time to shout the "oh crap" he was thinking of as the light blinded them.

Episode 2: Escape to the Majokai! The Ojamajos Stand on Solid Ground!

When Nick trusted himself enough to open his eyes, he noticed that he was standing in the middle of a large field filled with every kind of flower imaginable.

"Well, this is definitely the place," Nick quipped, turning around only to notice that Momoko's parents had been warped to the Majokai with them.

Nick steadied himself for whatever was about to happen, silently relieved that the witch frog's curse was no more.

"Momoko, dearie, where are we?" Minori asked.

"Are we in one of those strange sci-fi movies you two love so much?" Kenzou wondered.

"Ooh, boy, this is gonna be hard to explain..." Momoko stated.

"Maybe we should do some explaining on the way," Nick replied. "Now that we're here, our first priority should be finding the queen."

"Oh, yeah," Momoko quipped, remembering why they'd come to the Majokai in the first place.

So, as the group set off to search for the queen, Nick and Momoko explained the events that had led to the Ojamajos' magical adventures.

"It's so beautiful here," Minori proclaimed, taking a few pictures with her camera.

"It's something you get used to after a while," Nick admitted.

"Hey, what's that over there?" Kenzou gasped, pointing towards something in the distance.

About a mile ahead of them stood a rather impressive courtyard, complete with water fountain and flower gardens abound.

The only thing that seemed out of place about this courtyard was that someone was standing in the middle of it, their features completely disguised by the black robe draped over the figure's body.

Nick and Momoko took a few cautious steps into the courtyard, not yet knowing if this person was friend or foe. Again, Nick instinctively went for his wand, only to notice he didn't have it. _I've gotta stop doing that,_ Nick thought.

Once they reached the courtyard, both teenagers fell silent. Nick was the first to approach the figure, now able to identify the figure as a female, due to the curves on her body seen through her black robe.

"Um, excuse me?" Nick asked. "Are you lost?"

The girl stood completely still, not moving an inch. She almost could have passed for a statue had it not been for the light breeze slowly swaying her robe.

"Gifted speaker," Momoko teased.

The girl's hand twitched. Nick and Momoko quickly shifted into a defensive stance.

The girl's hand relaxed as she started taking slow steps towards Nick and Momoko.

"Okay, this is creeping me out," Nick stated.

The girl continued to walk forward until she was right in front of Nick. She looked up at him, though Nick couldn't see her face due to the hood.

"Um..."

"You actually came."

A question mark appeared over Nick's head. "And that means...?"

The girl nodded her head. "I'm impressed. You actually had the gall to make it this far."

The girl raised her hand, jet-black electricity beginning to crackle around it.

Momoko stood poised and ready to move.

Before Nick could react to the situation, the electricity around the girl's hand lengthened and materialized into a very peculiar-looking key-like sword. Her hand was closed around the weapon's grip, connected by two evil-looking devil wings that formed the handle of the weapon. The blade, a lengthy black sword stretched out as long as her arm, ended with teeth in the shape of the kanji for "darkness". A black crown dangled from the keychain at the bottom of the weapon.

"You show much promise," the girl stated.

Without any warning whatsoever, the girl slammed the weapon into Nick's stomach, instantly dazing him. The girl quickly leaped into the air, doing a pirouette with her weapon and smashing it into Nick's face, sending him rolling to the ground with a rather large bruise on his cheek.

"NICK!" Momoko screamed, rushing to her boyfriend's aid. "Hey, lady, who do you think you are, attacking my boyfriend like that?!"

The girl just huffed. "'Lady'? I have a name, you know. I am called Erika. You would do wise to remember that name and vacate the area when you hear my approach."

"That... was a cheap shot, lady," Nick growled as Momoko helped him to his feet.

Erika just shook her head. "Kids these days never learn."

Erika raised Oblivion and snapped it down, causing a sphere of darkness to surround Minori and Kenzou.

"Hey, you let my parents go!" Momoko shouted.

"You're not the boss of me, you know," Erika quipped in that same sarcastic tone, waving Oblivion and causing Minori and Kenzou to vanish.

"You're going to pay for that one, lady," Nick growled, clenching his fists tightly.

"Impatient runt," Erika answered.

"Um, what did you just call me?!" Nick shouted, his rather short patience officially running out as he charged straight for Erika.

Erika just nodded and brought her weapon into a fighting stance.

"You would willingly taste oblivion?" Erika sneered. "Well, then, glad to oblige!"

Erika brought Oblivion behind her and then struck downwards, expecting to slice Nick clean in half.

So she was surprised to see Nick catch Oblivion's blade with his bare hands, doing his best to hold it back.

After a short struggle, Nick lashed out with his right foot, slamming it into Erika's stomach to force her back. Nick took advantage of the moment to yank Oblivion from Erika's hands.

"So, you're not as bad as I thought you were," Erika stated.

"What of it?" Nick shot back, twirling Oblivion in his hands before charging for Erika.

Raising her free hand, Erika concentrated as bright white electricity crackled around it before materializing into another key-shaped weapon. This one had a handle comprised of angel wings instead of devil wings, and had a dual blade that eventually twisted into the teeth, shaped as the kanji for "light". A star was dangling from the keychain.

Before Momoko could warn Nick about the surprise attack, Erika had swung her other weapon at Nick's feet, sending him into a flip so she could slash at his shoulder the white weapon, leaving a small gash where the attack had hit.

Nick crashed to the ground in an ungainly tumble, clutching his wounded shoulder. Erika took this moment to raise her free hand, and Oblivion disappeared from Nick's grip and reappeared in Erika's free hand.

"So," Erika sneered, twirling the white weapon, Oathkeeper, in her left hand and the black weapon, Oblivion, in her right hand. "What will you do now? There's no way you can beat me the way you are now. So how about you just give it up?"

"Then you obviously don't know me very well, lady," Nick taunted, slowly getting to his feet. "I'm not the type to give up just because someone thinks they're better than me."

"But I _am_ better than you," Erika retorted. "You have no magic skills to battle me with, and you obviously won't be able to reach your precious patriarch unless you go through me. And from the way you look right now, you're really in no condition to do either of those things."

"Wait, how the heck do you know about this world?!" Momoko inquired.

"That's really none of your concern right now, is it, little girl?" Erika responded, and Momoko could tell that she was smiling evilly even though her face was still hidden by her hood. "Your biggest concern should be finding a way to get past me."

Nick took a step back, then bolted forward.

"Such useless impatience," Erika sneered, readying Oblivion.

But just before she could slash at Nick, he leapt into the air, easily avoiding the strike.

"What?!" Erika gasped.

"Yeah, got you, didn't I?" Nick taunted, wasting no time in lashing out with his right foot and whacking Erika across the side of her head, causing her to stumble back and drop her weapons.

This had also made her hood drop, so now Nick and Momoko could see Erika's face clearly; she didn't appear to be much older than they were. She had bright pink eyes that were clouded by an eerie darkness, and waist-length brown hair tied into a ponytail.

"Not bad," Erika stated, raising both of her hands. Oathkeeper and Oblivion disappeared from their places on the ground and rematerialized in Erika's hands. "You may actually be useful after all."

"Wait a minute. Are you the one who turned my parents against me?!" Nick accused.

"Oh, I'm far above such trifling matters," Erika shot back. "If you wish, you can question my master. He is the one with the grand plans for this pathetic place you call a world."

"Oh, so she gets two powerful weapons and she thinks this world is pathetic?" Momoko taunted. "Way to act all high and mighty, huh? Now _give my parents back!_ "

"It's just as well," Erika growled, spinning Oathkeeper and Oblivion in her hands. "You humans don't deserve this world. Sooner or later, you will be purged. Make no mistake about it."

Erika suddenly relaxed her stance, letting her weapons dissipate. "But for now, I will concede defeat. You two need to learn how to fight better anyway."

She raised her right hand, and a portal of swirling black darkness appeared behind her. "So now, I will take my leave. Consider the both of yourselves on probation."

And with that, Erika walked into the corridor and disappeared from the battlefield.

"Probation for WHAT?!" Nick exclaimed.

"Relax, Nick. She's gone," Momoko replied, rubbing Nick's shoulders in an effort to calm him down.

"Just who WAS that chick?" Nick wondered. "Where the heck did she come from?"

"I don't think we're going to get any answers until we find the queen," Momoko answered. "Let's keep moving."

* * *

Further into the Majokai, Nick and Momoko's path stopped at a large door inscribed with more music notes.

"This is the place," Momoko stated. "Let's hope the queen's here."

Momoko walked up to the door and knocked three times on it.

"Who asks to see her majesty?" a familiar voice asked.

"Hey, is that Majorin?" Nick wondered, instantly recognizing the voice.

Majorin paused, registering who she had heard. "Nick? Is that really you?"

"Yeah! I'm here with Momoko! We need to talk to the queen about something!" Nick answered.

The door slowly inched open, and just as they had thought, Majorin was standing there, looking just as Nick had remembered her.

"It appears that you two are just in time," Majorin noted as Nick and Momoko walked in. "The others are waiting as well."

"What?" Momoko gasped. "Everyone's here?!"

"They all seem to be in need of consulting the queen about something," Majorin answered.

"I wonder if it has something to do with my parents or that hooded chick..." Nick thought.

After about twenty quick seconds of walking, Nick and Momoko had reached the area where they would usually convene with the queen, who was actually Yuki-sensei, the nurse at Misora First Elementary.

Doremi was the first to notice the two.

"Momo-chan? Kelly-kun? Is that really you?!" Doremi exclaimed, rushing up to hug the green and yellow witches.

"Yes, Doremi-chan, it's us," Momoko giggled. "You don't have to hug us to death, though..."

"That's usually Hana-chan's job," Nick answered while patting Doremi's head.

As Doremi took a step back, she easily noticed that Nick and Momoko were holding hands. And Momoko wasn't blushing.

"Hey, are... are you two..." Doremi inquired.

"Yeah, we're an item now," Momoko giggled, and now she was blushing. "Nick and I finally confessed our feelings."

"Took you two long enough, says this observer!" Aiko cut in, her hair swaying in the breeze.

"And yet you always accused me of being lovey-dovey with Doremi-chan," Nick teased, causing Doremi to blush madly.

"I can still remember how she was always on your case about that," Hazuki giggled, waving to Nick and Momoko. "It was actually pretty funny."

"Which is because Ai-chan was the only one laughing," Onpu reminded everyone, causing all present to burst out laughing.

"Speaking of funny, Doremi tripped on the way here, and I had to drag her through those fields," Poppu stated.

"Oh, you HAD to bring that up, didn't you?!" Doremi exclaimed. Everyone just started laughing harder at that.

"So everyone's here, huh?" Momoko asked after she'd calmed down. "What's the occasion?"

Before Doremi could answer, Nick noticed something very peculiar: when Doremi had let go of them, she had started clutching her right shoulder.

"We actually wanted to ask jou-sama about something," Doremi responded. "I was surprised when everyone met up with me about halfway through this place."

"Wait a second, Doremi-chan," Nick cut in, eyeing the pink witch curiously. "What's up with your shoulder?"

Doremi's expression quickly changed. "That's... actually the reason we're all here," the pink witch answered. "You see, my parents attacked me for some reason..."

Nick gasped in surprise. "Wait, Doremi-chan, you too?"

Doremi looked up at Nick when he'd said that. "Whoa, did it happen to all of us?!"

"That's why _we_ came to the Majokai," Momoko answered. "Nick's parents attacked him, and we figured maybe jou-sama could help us. The weird thing is, when Nick's parents walked away from me, I saw their eyes glowing bright red. That made us think something or someone was controlling them..."

"Stranger still, we ran into this strange hooded girl on the way here," Nick continued. "She captured Momoko's parents, and then tried to finish us off."

"Did this hooded woman carry two keyblades, one black as night and the other bright as day?"

Everyone spun around at this new voice. The queen of the Majokai herself had just appeared, her veil hiding her face.

"It is good to see you again, my fellow witches," the queen announced. "And wizards," she added, smiling down at Nick.

"Good thing you caught that," Nick teased. "And yeah, she was carrying those exact weapons. Momoko and I probably would have been toast if I hadn't managed to swipe one of them for a few minutes."

"There has been talk of this hooded woman throughout the Majokai as of late," the queen proclaimed, lifting her veil. "They say she steals the souls of people for an unknown cause. But I have reviewed the facts we know about this woman, and I have deduced that she can only be working for one person."

The queen waved her hand and an image appeared in front of the Ojamajos. The figure appeared to be very inhuman, not of this world. The thing that unnerved the Ojamajos the most was the pair of devilish horns sprouting from the figure's head.

"This, my fellow witches, is the Dark Lord Morticon," the queen explained. "A long time ago, Morticon was once a wise scholar who married a human."

The group's expressions darkened, knowing that this tale would probably be similar to Majotourbillon's.

"Sadly, Morticon's wife was killed by a band of humans during the time of the witch hunts," the queen continued. "Morticon fell into despair at this, and eventually turned to the darkness, becoming the leader of an army of darkness that was intent on destroying all magical worlds."

"Why would he want to destroy _everything_ because of what one world did to him?" Hazuki asked.

"Rage and hatred can twist your ideals when one falls to the darkness," Majorin stated. "It is a truly unnerving sight."

"Before Morticon could complete his crusade, a brave band of fighters came together to repel this evil and sealed Morticon away in the deepest pits of the Dusk Zone," the queen continued. "But now, as I have feared, this hooded woman is attempting to bring him the souls that he needs to break the seal. Even contained as he is, Morticon's influence is starting to leak into the world."

"So, what can _we_ do about it?" Aiko wondered. "I figure that, since it's obvious that hooded chick is workin' for him, they're probably the ones who turned our parents against us. So that horned bastard just made it personal!"

"We have made arrangements with the witch senate," the queen proclaimed. "They have unanimously agreed to grant you all your witch powers again. You will need all the strength you can muster to combat Morticon and his emissary."

The queen gestured to Majorin, who nodded reached behind her to produce a very elegant-looking box.

"Majorin, if you will?" the queen asked.

"With pleasure, your majesty," Majorin answered, opening the box and revealing nine taps. They were shaped like brilliantly-cut gemstones with a dial in the center, similar to their original taps. Instead of numbers or flowers, each notch in the dial held a different symbol.

"These are your new Jewel Taps," the queen proclaimed. "They hold your new magical power."

Nick couldn't help but smile as everyone reached out to take their respective tap, each one a specific color so they knew who it belonged to.

"Wow, you peoples really ARE ready for anything," Nick quipped.

He then turned to the girls. "All right, everybody, how about we transform and get this show on the road?"

"I'll go first," Doremi stated, spinning the dial to the music note, then clapping her hands twice. _"I'll do anything for steak! Ojamajo Doremi, transform!"_

Pink music notes spiraled around her hand and formed her gloves. Doremi did a quick pirouette and flicked her hands forward, her tap disappearing. She tapped her sides, doing a cute pose as the main body of her uniform materialized, her tap situated on the center of it. She clicked her heels twice, the boots materializing as well. Doremi raised her hand so she could catch her witch hat and put it on her head. Her transformation complete, Doremi did a few leaping spins before landing rather gracefully and throwing her arms out as if to welcome someone.

 _"The gleaming ruby, Doremi-chi!"_

"I'll go next," Hazuki stated, doing the same thing as Doremi. _"I'll put my studies to work! Ojamajo Hazuki, transform!"_

Hazuki brushed a few locks of her hair aside, and orange music notes formed her gloves. Hazuki tossed her tap into the air and brushed down her shirt, forming the main body of her uniform. She reached down and tapped her shoes twice, forming the boots. She reached up and caught her tap, placing it on the center of her uniform. When her transformation was finished, Hazuki linked her hands behind her back and thrust them behind her, bending over and smiling brightly.

 _"The knowledgeable topaz, Hazuki-chi!"_

"My turn!" Aiko exclaimed, activating her tap as well. _"Let's do it to it! Ojamajo Aiko, transform!_ "

She clenched her fists and struck a fighting pose, and her gloves formed. Aiko then did a backflip and the body of her uniform materialized. Aiko then leaped into the air again, flicking her wrists out as if to shoot a basketball, and when she landed, her boots formed. Aiko then reached behind her back to grab her witch hat and place it on her head. When she was finished, Aiko threw a few quick punches before placing her right hand on her hip and thrusting her left hand into the sky.

 _"The athletic sapphire, Aiko-chi!"_

"Guess that means I'm next," Onpu giggled, activating her own tap. _"Hello, everybody out there! Ojamajo Onpu, transform!"_

Onpu twirled her hand as if spinning her microphone, which formed her gloves. She then tapped a few spots on her chest and the body of the uniform materialized. Onpu followed this up by bending down as if readying for a race, and her boots formed. She spun around and produced her microphone, singing a few notes as her witch hat fell onto her head. Onpu sheathed her microphone, then brushed her hands across her purple locks before settling them behind her head in an impossibly cute pose.

 _"The elegant amethyst, Onpu-chi!"_

"Now to me," Momoko proclaimed, activating her tap with a bright smile. _"There's nowhere I won't go for you! Ojamajo Momoko, transform!"_

Momoko immediately jumped, stretching her hands out as her gloves formed. When she landed, she threw a quick uppercut before winking cutely, this forming the body of her uniform. Momoko then did a few dance steps until her boots formed. This done, Momoko reached up to catch and adorn her witch hat. She did a pirouette before slamming both hands down in a pose that made it appear she was aiming for something.

 _"The gorgeous pearl, Momoko-chi!"_

"All right, let's rock," Nick stated, activating his own tap. _"I say 'bring it on'! Mahoutsukai Nick, transform!"_

Nick lashed out with a left hook, then a right-handed uppercut to form his gloves. He quickly did a spin before landing with a snap kick, this forming the body of his uniform. Nick followed this up with a few roundhouse kicks to form the boots. After retrieving his witch hat, Nick did one more jumping spin before putting two fingers on his left hand to his forehead and throwing out his right hand.

 _"The sparkling diamond, Kelly-chi!"_

"Mine's probably cooler than Doremi's," Poppu stated as she activated her tap. _"I may be small, but I'm as tough as my sister! Ojamajo Poppu, transform!"_

Poppu clapped her hands twice to form her gloves. She bowed downwards to form the body of her uniform. Poppu blew a kiss to nobody in particular and clicked her heels together to form her boots. After grabbing her witch hat, Poppu spun around and put her hands on her hips before posing.

 _"The tiny rose, Poppu-chi!"_

The Ojamajos stood side by side as the performed a final pose together. _"The world's youngest witches with the power to save the planet! We are the Ojamajos, guardians and defenders of the magical worlds!"_

Once everybody stood transformed, the queen smiled. "Welcome back, everybody."

"Um, your highness, you stole my line," Nick quipped. Everyone had a good laugh at that.

"Well, everybody, what are we waiting for?" Nick quipped. "Let's go find that chick and kick some faces in!"

"One second, my young ones," the queen proclaimed, catching everyone's attention. "I have arranged for some extra assistance for you on this mission. These friends of yours should be very familiar to you."

At that statement, a girl about Doremi's age popped out from behind the queen, her twin blonde ponytails bobbing as she walked.

"HEY, EVERYBODY!" the girl squealed, obviously very happy to see the gang again.

This was Hana Makihatayama, magical princess and future queen of the Majokai. She had once been a rather cute infant until the girls' final year of elementary school, when she had used her rather powerful magic to increase her age and go to school with her "mamas".

Hana still kept her long blonde hair tied into twin ponytails, though the baubles she used to use had been replaced with twin jewels on each side. These jewels were specifically crafted by the queen herself to augment Hana's already considerably strong magic. The most noticeable difference between now and five years ago was that Hana had grown a few inches, her body becoming what a sixteen-year-old young woman would be. Nick had once said that Hana could potentially be quite the heartbreaker when she grew up.

Hana immediately rushed over to Doremi and hugged her tight. "It's so good to see you, Doremi-mama!" Hana giggled.

Doremi just hugged her surrogate daughter back, happy to see her. Hana had been the only one to stay in the Majokai at the end of their adventures, due to her status as the witch world's future queen.

"Hana-chan promises, I'll help you all take down this marauding meanie!" Hana giggled before releasing Doremi and bringing out her own Jewel Tap. _"My name is Hana-chan! Cheese! Ojamajo Hana, transform!"_

Hana wasted no time in throwing her arms upward to form her gloves. She quickly tapped the bracelets she usually wore, and this formed the body of her uniform. Hana then performed a few spinning kicks, forming her boots. When she was finished, Hana grabbed her witch hat and placed it on her head before doing a few windmills with her arms and eventually settling on bending one arm across her chest and reaching to the sky with her other arm.

" _The happy peridot, Hana-chan-chi!"_

Doremi would have smiled had she not noticed someone else stepping out from behind the queen. She had waist-length pink hair and similar-colored eyes, and was wearing a white shirt and tan shorts.

"Fami-chan?" Doremi gasped, recognizing her from a while ago.

Fami Harukaze nodded in assent to the statement. "It's been a long time since I've gotten to see you, hasn't it?"

Fami walked up to Doremi, taking her hand. "I missed you, obaa-chan."

Doremi, though extremely surprised by the revelation, couldn't help but smile, blushing as Fami held her hand. "I missed you, too, Fami-chan."

 _So I_ _ **do**_ _get married in the future,_ Doremi thought.

"Yep," Fami replied, as if reading Doremi's thoughts. "The fact that I'm here is proof!"

Fami let go of Doremi's hand and did a quick pirouette before revealing her own Jewel Tap. _"I'll fight for my future! Ojamajo Fami, transform!"_

Fami flicked her hands out, forming the gloves, before waving her finger like a certain famous hedgehog and doing a cartwheel. The body of her uniform materialized when she landed. She then did a snap kick and a stomp to form the boots, reaching into the air to easily catch her falling witch hat. Her transformation complete, Fami threw her arms out and leaned forward as if she was showcasing something.

 _"The futuristic violet, Fami-chi!"_

"So, the gang's all together," Onpu stated. "How about we go find that woman, everybody?"

Just then, without a shred of warning, something slashed at Nick's back, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Hey, who's the wise guy?!" Aiko exclaimed.

Nick quickly got to his feet. That attack hadn't hurt as much as he thought it would, though that was most likely due to him being protected by his magical witch outfit.

But when Nick turned around, his suspicions were confirmed.

" _You again,"_ Nick stated. Erika was standing in front of the group, Oathkeeper and Oblivion drawn and ready.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

On the next episode...

Doremi: Well, things are getting interesting already, aren't they?

Aiko: Let me at this lady! I'll knock her freakin' block off!

Onpu: Ai-chan, don't be rude.

Momoko: So far, we know next to nothing about this Erika character. All we know for sure is that she's working for Morticon and they're both trying to take over all of our worlds.

Fami: We'd better hurry back to Misora and see if we can decipher anything else about what this chick's up to!

Hazuki: I have no idea what she could be doing with those oversized keys of hers, but...

Poppu: Wait, did she just do what I think she did?

Aiko: Okay, NOW I'm going to knock her block off!

Doremi: Hold on just a second! Is that person Erika-san's going after... is that really who I think it is?!

Nick: Next time on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_! "From Method to Madness! A Mistress of Jet-Black Darkness!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamond!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!


	3. The Method to Madness

Aiko: Ugh, I'm exhausted.

Onpu: Why?

Aiko: All that running...

Fami: But you're supposed to be the athletic girl, right?

Aiko: We ran across two worlds, Fami-chan. It'd exhaust anybody!

Onpu: Well, this is a rather interesting conversation, huh?

Nick: Previously on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_ , we found our way to the Majokai after fighting off this weird chick named Erika, and we got brand new powers to help us out!

Momoko: We've got a real doozy of an evil force to fight this time, everybody. His name is Morticon, and he's trying to drown our world in darkness.

Doremi: Obviously, we can't let that happen, so we're going to use our new powers to teach this Morticon character AND that chick who works for him what happens when you mess with us!

Hazuki: Things are getting exciting already, so I hope you all enjoy the show today!

Nick: We now join our story, already in progress!

Aiko: There, Kelly-kun, I let you say your line.

Nick: Five bucks says you're going to steal it from me next episode.

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger proudly presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut  
_ Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

On Today's Episode: The Ojamajos return to Misora with their brand new powers, hoping to find out the details of whatever scheme Erika seems to be cooking up. After getting back into the hang of their normal teenage lives, the Ojamajos must stay sharp even when they're in school, knowing that Erika could strike at any minute...

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of nine years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi or any of its affiliations. It belongs solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

* * *

" _You again,"_ Nick stated. Erika was standing in front of the group, Oathkeeper and Oblivion drawn and ready.

"Listen, I'm only gonna tell you this one more time," Momoko growled, bringing out her new wand, the Koseki Poron. "Give me back my parents, or I'm gonna send you home crying!"

"I don't even have them," Erika proclaimed. "They're back in Misora, and they're just gonna think this was all a bad dream. You can thank me for that later."

"Wait, you altered their memories?" Hazuki wondered. "Isn't that forbidden magic?"

"Shows how little you know about me," Erika taunted, brandishing her keyblades. "My dark powers didn't come from your precious little witch world, so they're not bound by their stupid rules. Seems like a fair trade, don't you think?"

"And I'm going to guess you're the one stealing souls for Morticon?" Nick proclaimed.

"Correct, little boy," Erika sneered. "But I'm not here to fight. I'm only here this time to deliver a message. Master Morticon wishes to say that he hopes you'll put on a show for him. We wouldn't want to upset the natural balance, would we?"

"Okay, lady, I've had enough of your fortune-teller talk!" Nick shouted. "You'd better start making sense before I come over there and clobber you!"

Erika just grinned evilly. "Try and make me."

With that, Erika disappeared into a dark portal.

"Come on, girls! We've gotta follow that creep!" Nick exclaimed, slashing his wand forward and opening a portal back to the human world. _Wow, jou-sama was right. This is some incredible magic!_ Nick thought.

Nick ran into the portal, everyone else following him.

"Good luck, everyone," the queen proclaimed once the portal closed. "You will need it."

Episode 3: From Method to Madness! The Mistress of Jet-Black Darkness!

Nick cast a few quick glances around as the group returned to Misora. No sign of Erika.

"Drat, where'd she go?" Nick growled.

"Guess she got away," Doremi noted. "I can't sense her dark aura anywhere."

"Um, guys, I hate to rain on this little parade, but what are we going to do about our parents?" Aiko asked. "We can't really go back with them all like this..."

"Damn, I didn't think about that," Nick quipped.

 _Did you hear that, jou-sama?_ Nick thought, telepathically conveying his message to the queen. _We may need some help on this one._

"I understand your predicament, Nick," the queen's voice answered, having personally appeared to the group. Thankfully, they were all in an area where no one else could be seen. "I will send some of our trained enforcers to keep your parents safe here in the Majokai until we can fix things."

"Thanks so much, your highness," Nick quipped. "Leave it to you to help us out of a jam."

"It is the least I can do, after everything you all have done for us," the queen responded.

"Wait, where are we supposed to go now?" Doremi asked. "I don't think we're old enough to be able to live on our own yet..."

"Hey, Majorika-san always said something about spare rooms in the MAHO-dou," Poppu answered. "Maybe we can see if she'll let us kip there until this all blows over!"

"Let's hope so, because that was something I'd almost forgotten about," Nick admitted. "I should have figured it wasn't going to be _that_ easy."

"That's just like ya, Kelly-kun," Aiko laughed.

"Oh, don't start with _that_ again!" Nick shouted, causing everyone present to burst into laughter.

* * *

Inside a realm of vibrant darkness mixed with eerie shades of gray, Erika can be seen walking along, Oathkeeper and Oblivion resting on her shoulders.

After a bit, she stops, dropping to her knees and bowing respectfully to something.

"Master," she stated.

In front of Erika, something strange appeared. It was basically a pair of red eyes with demonic horns where its head should have been.

"Why do you come to me so suddenly, Erika?" the apparition asked, looking down questioningly at the hooded girl. "You have not completed your mission yet."

"I came to tell you of some resistance to our plans," Erika answered.

"Resistance?" the apparition wondered. "Who on this planet would be foolish enough to oppose us?"

"These fledgling witches have stood in my way," Erika answered. "Even though they have only just regained their powers, I can tell that they are a significant stumbling block to your revival."

"So go on and destroy them," the apparition noted. "I gave you those keyblades for a reason. Use them to annihilate these interlopers."

"As you wish, Master Morticon," Erika stated, bowing again. "I will return to my mission immediately."

With that, Erika wrapped herself in a cloak of dark energy and disappeared.

The apparition of Morticon looked up to the corrupted sky of this dark realm.

"Sometimes I wonder why she agreed to this mission," Morticon wondered. "Though I am surprised that she can control using a keyblade... two, no less. Considering what she lacks, it is very strange indeed."

* * *

"Doesn't seem like much has changed," Doremi noted as the group approached the MAHO-dou, still in the very same place it had been five years ago. _Guess Majorika-san never felt like moving her business._

"She got rid of all the good stuff we added!" Aiko exclaimed. "Jeez, Majorika, _really?!_ "

"It's been five years, Ai-chan," Nick replied. "We weren't there to sell our own stuff, so she probably put it back to what it was."

"Let's hope she's even here," Onpu quipped. "It _has_ been five years, after all..."

Onpu took a few steps forward and knocked twice on the door.

It took just a few seconds for who else but Majorika to answer the door.

"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite bothersome witches," Majorika teased. "The queen said you were back in Misora. What's the occasion?"

Nick was the first to speak, recounting the events that had brought the Ojamajos back to Misora.

"And that's basically the story," Nick finished. "Most of us don't really have anywhere to stay, considering we're not of legal age to be living on our own just yet. And we heard you've got some spare rooms back there somewhere."

"Say no more," Majorika replied, gesturing for the group to enter.

"Majorika-san, thank you so much for helping us out," Doremi stated.

"It's the least I can do," Majorika proclaimed. "After all, I never really admitted this, but it was fun having all of you around. Beats being bored to death, right?"

"Don't I know it," Nick stated.

 _Two weeks later..._

It was officially fourth period, and Seki-sensei's history class had just started. Doremi looked out the window, wistfully daydreaming about something, only to be interrupted when something flew straight at her and thwacked the pink witch on her forehead.

Doremi looked down, only to realize she had just been nailed by Seki-sensei's infamous chalk throw.

"Good to see that something about Dojimi didn't change, huh?" Kotake Tetsuya quipped, laughing a bit. Doremi huffed, picking up the chalk that had been thrown at her and hurling it right at Kotake. It beaned him in the head just as Doremi returned to the book she was reading for class. Reika Tamaki just laughed at the sight.

"Just like the good old days, huh?" Momoko giggled.

"No kidding," Nick responded.

As the class went on, Seki-sensei admitted to herself that she was glad Doremi was in her class again, seeing as how the pink witch was beginning to be so much of a better student than she had been.

About halfway through the class, as Nick wrote an answer down for a question on his history test, he perked up.

"Everything all right, Nick?" Momoko asked. She was sitting at the desk directly to Nick's left, as per her request.

"Momoko, did you feel that?" Nick wondered.

Momoko just shrugged, so Nick returned to his test.

A few minutes later, Nick jumped right out of his seat. _What was that I just felt?_ Nick thought.

"Um, maybe you should sit down, Kelly-kun?" Seki-sensei asked. "We've still got about twenty-five minutes left."

Nick gazed around the classroom, trying to pinpoint the source of whatever he just felt.

Just then, Nick's gaze darted over to where Tamaki was sitting.

"INCOMING!" Nick shouted, jumping onto his desk and leaping off of it towards Tamaki.

In mid-air, Nick drew his wand just in time to slash it forward and block a strike from two key-shaped weapons that had been on a course to impale Tamaki through the neck.

Nick managed to push the attacker back before landing on top of Tamaki's desk to gauge his opponent.

"Oh, good lord, not you again," Nick growled when he set his gaze on Erika, who had already brandished Oathkeeper and Oblivion. "What's up with the sudden school-day invasion?!"

"You should know what my assignment is," Erika sneered, bringing both of her weapons into a cross-bladed fighting stance. "I am here to collect souls for my master."

"You've got some nerve attacking us in front of so many people," Nick proclaimed. "Aren't you worried that someone might catch on to you?"

"Oh, _please_ ," Erika taunted. "Like I of all people would be worried about people catching on to my master's plan. It's not like they could do anything to me, anyways."

"Okay, you're starting to annoy me now," Nick stated. "Just leave us alone!"

"You know I can't do that," Erika teased.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Nick rushed in front of Erika and thrust his palm forward, striking Erika's chest and dazing her.

Nick didn't waste a second in readying his Koseki Poron.

"Now eat some of this!" Nick shouted. The green witch grasped his wand tightly before ripping forward and lashing out at Erika with a series of lightning-fast slashes before eventually performing an overhead strike that sent Erika tumbling.

"Now are you going to take my advice and leave us the hell alone?!" Nick shouted. "I've got a biology class coming up, and that's bad enough as it is!"

Erika just growled, still gripping her weapons tightly.

"Didn't think so," Nick quipped.

Readying his next move, Nick rushed forwards and slashed at Erika in an upwards vertical motion, then slashing downwards. He then slashed horizontally, then diagonally upwards, and finally ended with a diagonal downwards slash. This series of strikes created a star in front of the dazed Erika.

" _Brighter than the heavens!"_ Nick shouted. _"Mystic Arte, Extreme Stars!"_

Nick thrust his wand forward, breaking through the energy star and slamming right into Erika, causing a lot of damage and sending the dark girl sprawling.

"Consider yourself lucky that I'm on a mission," Erika proclaimed. "My master's orders supersede my own desires, after all. I'll be back, got that?"

Erika stepped outside before raising her hand and unleashing a wide flare of darkness that Nick had to shield his eyes from.

When the darkness cleared away, the entire class was back to working on their history tests as if nothing had ever happened.

Naturally, Nick was confused. _Wait,_ Nick thought as he returned to his own seat, _didn't Erika say she could alter memories? She said her powers didn't come from the Majokai, so they weren't bound to the forbidden magic rules. Guess I_ _ **should**_ _consider myself lucky. That could have ended_ _ **badly**_ _._

Nick cast a glance over at Doremi and Momoko, who nodded back to him with the same expressions, confirming that they were the only others who hadn't been affected by Erika's dark magic.

* * *

"So, what happened back there?" Doremi asked once history class ended and the three were heading to their next class. "I mean, aside from the obvious."

"To be honest, Doremi-chan, I'm not really sure myself," Nick answered. "I guess I almost forgot that Erika said she could manipulate memories. She must have erased everyone's memories of that incident."

"Lucky us, huh?" Momoko replied.

"No kidding," Nick answered.

As the three walked down the hallway, Nick cast a glance out the window, able to see Karen Girls Academy in the distance.

 _Just stay safe over there, okay, Hazuki-chan?_ Nick thought.

Just then, Tamaki walked up, looking much like she had five years back.

"I can't believe you're all back!" Tamaki giggled, hugging Momoko. "I almost didn't expect it!"

"The best-laid plans, right?" Nick quipped.

"Oh, don't I _know_ it," Tamaki responded. "I'm trying to run for president of the student council now, but this time, I'm not letting my pride get the better of me."

Nick and Momoko glanced at each other, remembering that exact same incident from many years ago (Tamaki had told Nick and Momoko about it halfway through fifth grade, as they hadn't been in Misora when it had happened).

"That's good to hear, Tamaki-san," Momoko replied.

"Well, enough about me for once," Tamaki giggled. "Why don't you tell me what you've been up to all these years?

* * *

"Ugh... that little boy is quite strong..." Erika groaned as she returned to the dark realm, clutching the wound she had received from Nick during their battle.

In front of her, the piercing, blood-red eyes of Morticon opened, the only part of his physical body that could be physically seen in this realm after his banishment.

"Are you well, Erika?" Morticon's deep, commanding voice asked.

"Nothing too serious," Erika stated, summoning Oathkeeper and Oblivion into her hands. "I kind of underestimated the boy. But the good news is, I have more souls for you, master."

Erika closed her eyes and raised Oathkeeper and Oblivion, energy spiraling around it before flowing into the mass of darkness in front of her.

"Well done, Erika," Morticon stated. "We are a step closer to breaking this wretched seal."

"Anything for you, my master," Erika responded, bowing respectfully.

"Out of curiosity, Erika, why did you decide to help me break my seal?" Morticon wondered. "You seemed like the last person anyone would expect to help someone like me."

"Those pathetic humans don't deserve this world," Erika growled, sitting down next to the apparition. Clearly, she still had some trauma from her past to work through. "All of my short life, I was treated like a complete freak, just because of who I am. A shadow... someone not meant to exist... After a while, I made my decision. If humans can't accept someone that's different, they don't have the right to call this world their own. That's why I'm helping you, master. Together, we can annihilate this world and remake it into something better. To teach these bastards a lesson."

"I was banished for similar reasons," Morticon responded. "Just because I do things a certain way, everyone in the kingdom believed that I was an unnatural evil. While I do wish to destroy this world that people do not deserve, I only wish to make it better. I lost my son before I was banished. Those keyblades you are wielding now belonged to him. It was when I lost my son that I made a decision of my own. Anyone who would willingly take the last good thing I ever had in this world, they all deserve to die."

"Maybe that's the reason I'm helping you, of all the people I could help to ruin this world," Erika wondered. "We're a lot alike, you and I. Both wanting to create a better world out of one that clearly doesn't deserve to exist. Both being ostracized and berated just because of what we are. They need to understand, no matter what the reason."

Morticon just nodded. He was now admitting to himself that he was glad Erika had come to him and offered to break his seal. They had gotten a lot accomplished in such a short time. And hopefully, it wouldn't be much longer before his seal would be shattered and the two of them could remake this world as _they_ saw fit.

For everything they had been through, it was what they deserved.

* * *

"Well, that was a fun class," Nick quipped once school was out for the day. "Didn't think Nishizawa-sensei still had it."

"She's always been a bit of a loopy, but that's why we like her," Onpu replied.

"Um, Nick?" Momoko asked. "Do you know if that woman will be back?"

"You mean Erika?" Nick replied. "If I know weirdoes like her, she'll be back. Guess we're gonna have to stay on our toes for a while."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Doremi giggled. "Magic's been a part of my life for a long time, and it felt kinda weird at first to be without it, but what can you do, huh?"

"Hey, Nick, would you maybe like to stay with me until all of this blows over?" Momoko asked. "I'm sure mom and dad would love to have you over."

"Are you sure, Momoko? Is that all right with you?" Nick wondered. Momoko just nodded, smiling brightly. The green witch couldn't help but fling himself into his girlfriend's arms, kissing her passionately.

Doremi instantly blushed at that. "Why haven't I done that with _my_ boyfriend yet?"

* * *

The queen looked at the image in her crystal ball, smiling at the results.

"They have prevailed over their newest enemy," the queen stated. "But this adventure has just begun, Majorin."

"Yes, it has, your majesty," Majorin responded. "But I believe they have the strength to overcome these obstacles. They've never steered us wrong before."

"And that is precisely why I am still worried," the queen quipped. "Despite their victory today, Morticon is a foe unlike any this world has ever seen before. They will need all the strength they can muster if they want to prevail here. But we will watch over them, won't we?"

The queen leaned down and pecked Majorin on the cheek, causing her to blush brightly. "Exactly, your majesty. I know in my heart that they can win."

* * *

On the next episode...

Momoko: Well, that was a wonderful premiere, wasn't it? But our adventure's only just beginning, peoples!

Doremi: We're ready to send this Erika creep packing her bags!

Momoko: Especially since... hey... wait a bit. Nick, did you just ask me out on a date?

Nick: I guess I did. I know Ai-chan's gonna be teasing me about it relentlessly since we've really only been a couple for about a week or so, but I'd like to at least get in a proper first date without that Erika lady ruining things.

Momoko: Where did you have in mind?

Nick: Have you heard of this restaurant that just opened a couple weeks ago?

Momoko: _Dreaming of Paris_?! How'd you get reservations for that place?!

Nick: Luckily, I've been saving some money for a while.

Aiko: Are you two being lovey-dovey again?

Onpu: Oh, boy... this'll be fun.

Nick: Next time on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_! "Garlic Pasta  & Spicy Noodles! Nick and Momoko's Heart-Pounding First Date!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamonds!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!


	4. The Heartpounding First Date

"Ugh, somebody remind me why I signed up for that class?" Nick groaned as he and Momoko stopped by their lockers to retrieve the books they'd need for their next classes.

"You don't like math, huh?" Momoko giggled, amused at the sight of a sweatdrop on her boyfriend's head.

"Let's just say that I suck at it," Nick responded. "And that's putting it VERY mildly."

"Well, thankfully English class is next," Momoko noted, reaching for her history book. "Though I don't know why you need to go there. You were born in America, right?"

"Yeah, I was, but we moved here to Japan when I was really young," Nick answered, grabbing his textbook. "Okaa-san never told me the full story."

"Kinda like me, huh?" Momoko wondered.

"Hey, speaking of us..." Nick cut in, now appearing to be blushing a bit. "I was wondering if you maybe wanted to catch a meal on Saturday?"

Momoko grinned widely. "Nick Kelly, are you asking me out on a date?"

"I... I guess so?"

Nick's body temperature suddenly rose as he found that Momoko had rushed him and thrown her arms around his neck.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Momoko squealed.

"Well, I figured that since we're an actual couple now, we'd probably need to seal that with our first date," Nick explained.

"Oh, Nick, I'd love to," Momoko giggled in what she hoped was a romantic way. She'd never really been that good at flirting. "Where did you have in mind?"

Now it was Nick's turn to grin. "Have you heard of that new French restaurant that just opened on fifth street?"

Momoko gasped loudly. " _Dreaming of Paris_?!" the yellow witch exclaimed. "How'd you get a reservation for that place?"

"Let's just say I have my sources," Nick laughed.

Momoko turned Nick so they were looking each other in the eyes. The yellow witch couldn't resist leaning in to kiss her boyfriend.

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger proudly presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut  
_ Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

On Today's Episode: Nick and Momoko are gearing up for their first date as an official couple. The destination is the French restaurant _Dreaming of Paris_ , which Momoko had wanted to go to ever since she came back to Misora. But when Erika arrives and throws a rather interesting monkey wrench into that plan, will Nick and Momoko be able to survive their first date?

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of twelve years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi or any of its affiliations. It belongs solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

* * *

"Anything new to report, Erika?" Morticon asked.

"I don't have any souls for you right now, master," Erika admitted. "But I know where we can find some."

Without waiting for a signal, Erika waved Oathkeeper in front of her, and a picture formed from the swirling mist that surrounded this dark realm.

The mist formed into a picture of a very fancy-looking restaurant.

"What, pray tell, is this, Erika?" Morticon wondered.

"It's a restaurant," Erika explained. "The French restaurant _Dreaming of Paris_ , to be precise. A lot of people go here for romantic dates or anything to do with love. And considering that people in love are very likely to have pure souls..."

Erika cut herself off, leaving Morticon to connect the dots.

"...we could strike there and take all of their souls for our cause," Morticon realized. "Brilliant plan, Erika! When shall we pull it off?"

"In a few days," Erika answered. "I extracted some knowledge recently that two of the witches who oppose us are going to be there on Saturday. Their first date as an actual couple, apparently."

"So in addition to all those pure souls, you'll have a chance to remove two of those pesky witches from the picture at the same time," Morticon continued. "You seem to have such creative plans, Erika."

"Years of practice, master," Erika replied, blushing a little. She liked being praised by her master.

She'd never gotten any praise from the humans because of what she was, so hearing someone talk nicely about her was very special to her.

Episode 4: Garlic Pasta and Spicy Noodles! Nick and Momoko's Heart-Pounding First Date!

"You finally asked her out?" Doremi giggled the next day at school.

"In a manner of speaking," Nick responded.

"Why didn't you ask her out sooner? We've all been waiting to see who'd do it first!" Doremi proclaimed.

"Don't tell me you were actually taking bets..." Nick groaned.

"Only Ai-chan was," Doremi replied.

"Wonderful," Nick quipped.

"So, spill the beans! Where are you and Momo-chan going for your first date?" Doremi asked.

Nick suddenly started grinning, confusing the pink witch a bit. "Have you heard of the French restaurant _Dreaming of Paris_?"

Doremi gasped much like Momoko had at that name. "How the heck did you get reservations for that place?! That's gotta be, like, one of the most fancy restaurants in Misora!"

"Momoko's parents helped out with it," Nick explained. "They're awesome like that. And, to be honest, I've got a bit of a soft spot in my teenage heart for French food."

"I wanna ask Akatsuki-kun out, but he's been so darn busy lately!" Doremi exclaimed, puffing her cheeks three times as was her trademark.

"Oyajide-san's still a slave driver even after all these years, huh?" Nick quipped, and the green and pink witches burst out laughing.

* * *

"Well, Nick, welcome home," Momoko stated as she and her boyfriend arrived at the Asuka household once school was over.

"It's good to be home again," Nick quipped. "Home is where they treat you like family, after all, right?"

"That's true," Momoko giggled. "I'm just glad that mom and dad are all right."

"They really _did_ pass all of that off as a dream, huh?" Nick noted. "Another thing to feel lucky for."

"We'll get that weirdo yet," Momoko proclaimed.

Momoko opened the door, only to find Minori standing there as always.

"Welcome back, Momoko," Minori stated when she saw her daughter open the door. "Oh, you brought your friend over?"

"Actually, mom, he's my boyfriend now," Momoko responded. "He just lost his parents and he needs a place to stay."

"Oh, my gosh, is that true?" Minori asked.

"Yeah," Nick replied. "What's worse was that I didn't even know they were gone until I got home... that's the worst, not knowing someone you love is gone until it's too late..."

"That's got to hurt," Minori gasped. "You can stay here as long as you need to, Kelly-san."

"Thanks, Asuka-san," Nick continued. "Momoko's been wonderful to me."

"It's nice that you've found someone wonderful in my daughter, Kelly-san," Minori giggled. "Well, come on in!"

* * *

"Your mom and dad approved of me pretty quickly," Nick noted as he and Momoko got ready for bed that night.

"They've always liked you, Nick," Momoko answered. "They told me once that you were a good guy and that you had a personality that any girl would like."

"Despite the fact that I'm terribly impatient?" Nick quipped.

Momoko couldn't help but giggle at that. "Yes, despite your impatience. I've always believed that a person's quirks makes them who they are. Now how about we get some sleep, okay? We've got a lot of prep work to do before tomorrow."

Nick just nodded, suddenly feeling too sleepy to say much else.

"Good night, Momoko. I love you."

"You, too, Nick. Sweet dreams."

And with that, the two lovebirds hugged each other one more time before falling asleep together.

* * *

Nick was surprised to find that Momoko wasn't with him when he woke up the next morning.

"Um, Momoko? If you're still here, give me a sign?" Nick asked nobody in particular, only then noticing the note on the door to Momoko's room.

 _Nick, if I'm not here when you wake up, don't freak, okay? Mom just took me clothes shopping. I wanna look nice for tonight!_

 _Much love,_

 _Momoko_

Nick just smiled. "That's Momoko, all right."

* * *

"The time for your plan has come, Erika," Morticon instructed. Erika was standing in front of her image, watching the picture of the restaurant intently.

"The restaurant just opened, and the seats are slowly filling up," Erika noted. "Even if I can't take out those two brats, I'll still be able to collect a bunch of pure souls for you, master."

"Just do what you must, Erika," Morticon replied. "Even if we cannot eliminate those two, there will always be other opportunities. Just take as many pure souls as you can gather, and we will work from there."

"Understood, master," Erika noted, nodding silently to her master. "Even if this plan backfires, I've got a backup in motion. This will work, master."

* * *

It was now five in the afternoon; two hours before their date was scheduled, and Nick hadn't seen hide nor hair of Momoko since he woke up.

"I really hope she's okay..." Nick thought out loud. "That hooded chick better not be messing with her, or I swear to god, I'm gonna..."

"Nick? Can I come in?"

Nick jumped to his feet at this sound. "Hey, Momoko, everything okay?"

"Yeah," Momoko answered. "We just had to look at _a lot_ of clothes before I found something I thought was perfect for our first date. Can I come in?"

"It's your room, silly," Nick teased. Momoko giggled at that before turning the knob and entering.

Nick found himself unable to speak, blown away by how beautiful Momoko looked in her lovely silver dress.

"You like?" Momoko asked, noticing that Nick was blushing.

"As beautiful as it is, I think it's missing something," Nick replied.

This only confused Momoko. "What? What do you think is missing?"

Nick walked up to his girlfriend, reaching for her signature ring buns and undoing the knots that held them together. With the ties out of the way, Momoko's golden hair cascaded down to about her waist.

"That's better," Nick stated.

Now it was Momoko's turn to blush. "You always said I looked so pretty with my hair down."

Momoko extended her hand. "Well, shall we go?"

Nick nodded, reaching out to take his girlfriend's hand. "Music to my eyes."

* * *

"Ai-chan, do we _really_ need to be doing this?" Doremi groaned.

"Hey, I'm just tryin' to make sure that this goes right for them," Aiko replied. She and the rest of the Ojamajos were stationed right outside of _Dreaming of Paris_ at her insistence.

"You just wanna spy on them, Ai-chan," Onpu quipped.

"What's your point?" Aiko shot back.

"Good to see you haven't changed much, Ai-chan," Hazuki giggled.

"Oh, this'll be good," Poppu stated sarcastically.

"At least we actually DO have a good reason to join Ai-chan on her spying," Fami realized.

"What's that?" Hana wondered.

"What if that hooded chicklet decides to show up and crash the party?" Fami explained. "If Momo-chan and Kelly-kun can't handle her by themselves, we can be their backup. She won't stand a chance against all nine of us."

"But let's save that option unless they REALLY need the help," Onpu chided. "If we all rush in at once, there'll be a much greater risk of us having to answer a lot of questions I _really_ don't feel like answering."

"ACK! Here they come! Everyone, assume positions!" Aiko shouted.

"Not so loud, Ai-chan! You want them to hear us?!" Onpu shot back as they all hid.

"You're really such a gentleman, aren't you, Nick?" Momoko giggled as they approached the restaurant hand in hand.

"I'm just trying to be a perfect first date," Nick responded.

Suddenly, Momoko caught something out of the corner of her eye.

"Nick, do you get that feeling that someone's watching you?" Momoko asked.

Nick instinctively knew that the others were watching, per Aiko's insistence. _I'll teach her about spying when we're finished with our date._

"After you, mademoiselle," Nick stated, letting Momoko walk in first.

"Why thank you, good sir," Momoko replied, curtseying a bit as she entered, Nick following suit.

"Welcome to _Dreaming of Paris_ ," the waiter by the door stated. "Do you have a reservation?"

"Yes, we do," Nick answered. "It should be under Asuka, party of two."

"Ah, yes. We've been expecting you two," the waiter responded. "This way, please."

As the waiter led Nick and Momoko to their table, Erika peeked around the corner, unseen by the two of them.

"And this is where our fun begins," Erika taunted, Oathkeeper glowing with a white light and Oblivion glowing with a black light. "Just have to wait for the right moment."

* * *

"You ordered the veal oscar, huh?" Momoko noted once they'd placed their orders. "I didn't know you liked that."

"Dad always made it on the holidays," Nick explained. "Mom said that he made it better than the local restaurants did."

"You said your dad was actually friends with one of the restaurants that made veal oscar," Momoko remembered, laughing a bit at that particular memory.

"That was a bit hard to explain," Nick stated.

After a little bit, the food finally came, and Nick and Momoko began to munch. "I didn't know you liked andouillette."

"Hey, I like trying new things," Momoko noted as she took a bite from her meal.

* * *

"Hey, Nick? Thanks for taking me here," Momoko stated to Nick when they had finally finished their meals. "It was really sweet of you."

"I know it might have seemed a bit fancy for the first date, but I just wanted to make sure you got to go someplace that you wanted to go," Nick admitted. "I put the feelings of the girl I love before my own."

"Aw, Nick, you're so sweet..." Momoko giggled, leaning forward to give her boyfriend a kiss. One of the nearby customers couldn't help but smile at the utterly romantic sight.

But that smile quickly gave way to fear when the customer heard screams erupting from the nearby hallway.

"Nick?" Momoko asked.

"Damn it," Nick growled, hopping up from his seat and shifting into fighting stance.

A customer eventually rushed into the main dining area, obviously running from something, only to be stopped cold with a shocked expression on their face. The young woman fell to her knees, evaporating into hundreds of light particles that began to surround the brilliant white light of Erika's Oathkeeper keyblade.

"I shoulda freakin' known," Nick growled.

"Listen, lady, can't you go just one day without trying to kill us?!" Momoko shouted. "Nick and I were having a wonderful first date until you showed up!"

"Oh, but that's the idea," Erika shot back, clutching both of her keyblades tightly. "All these pure souls, ripe for the taking... the master shall be pleased with my victory today."

"Maître d'! Get everybody somewhere safe!" Nick shouted. "We'll handle things from here!"

The maître d' nodded, rushing off to evacuate everyone that was still in the building.

When it was just Nick, Momoko, and Erika, the green and yellow witches decided it was safe to bring out their wands.

"Now what was that you were saying?" Nick taunted as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his Jewel Tap, Momoko following suit quickly.

" _There's nowhere I won't go for you! Ojamajo Momoko, transform!"_

Momoko immediately jumped, stretching her hands out as her gloves formed. When she landed, she threw a quick uppercut before winking cutely, this forming the body of her uniform. Momoko then did a few dance steps until her boots formed. This done, Momoko reached up to catch and adorn her witch hat. She did a pirouette before slamming both hands down in a pose that made it appear she was aiming for something.

" _The gorgeous pearl, Momoko-chi!"_

" _I say 'bring it on'! Mahoutsukai Nick, transform!"_

Nick lashed out with a left hook, then a right-handed uppercut to form his gloves. He quickly did a spin before landing with a snap kick, this forming the body of his uniform. Nick followed this up with a few roundhouse kicks to form the boots. After retrieving his witch hat, Nick did one more jumping spin before putting two fingers on his left hand to his forehead and throwing out his right hand.

" _The sparkling diamond, Kelly-chi!"_

"Easy enough if it's just you two," Erika giggled, bringing both of her weapons into a fighting stance.

"Oh, wanna bet?" Momoko retorted, reaching out to join hands with Nick.

Erika just stood her ground, wondering what they were up to now.

After a few seconds, the two teenagers thrust their free hands to the sky, sending a green and yellow bolt of energy screaming into the clouds.

A second later, two streams of lightning shot down from the sky and began to concentrate around Nick and Momoko's open hands.

" _Spirits of the earth..."_ Momoko chanted, sparkles swirling around her hand.

" _Spirits of the stars..."_ Nick chanted, electricity gathering around his hand.

Nick and Momoko tossed their free hands to the side, and their collected energy separated and began to swirl around both of them.

" _Lend us your wills and give us the power to grant a miracle!"_ Nick and Momoko shouted as the energy surrounding them began to grow fierce. The two teenagers drew their hands back.

" _Our beautiful souls..."_ Momoko chanted, yellow electricity bursting from her free hand.

" _...shall crush your dark heart!"_ Nick chanted, green electricity bursting from his free hand.

Just then, Erika realized what was happening and lifted her keyblades. "You won't get that chance!"

" _Double Ojamajo Sparkle Screw!"_ Nick and Momoko shouted.

As Erika charged forward, Nick and Momoko slammed their joined hands through the energy field surrounding them. This motion caused two gigantic beams of green and yellow energy to erupt from their hands. The beams eventually joined together into one spiraling silver burst of magical power that thundered towards Erika like a drill.

She attempted to put her blades up to defend herself, but the bright cylinder of magical energy broke through her defenses and sent her flying back outside.

"Yes!" Nick shouted. "I knew that would do the trick!"

"Very clever," Erika growled. "But I'm not through yet."

"Oh, but I think you are."

Erika turned around and noticed the other seven Ojamajos, all transformed, standing there and ready to fight.

 _Okay, didn't expect that. I think it's time to retreat,_ Erika thought.

After getting to her feet, Erika sheathed both of her blades and scoffed. "Consider yourselves lucky. For now, I must assume a tactical retreat. Don't think you've seen the last of me."

And finally, she disappeared.

"Good riddance to that blabbermouth!" Aiko shouted.

"Did... did anyone see you?" Onpu wondered.

"I asked the maître d' to evacuate everyone before we transformed and kicked her butt," Nick replied. "No one saw us but the hooded lady."

Everyone then snapped their fingers and reverted to their normal selves.

Nick looked back towards the hallway on the far side of the dining room. "You guys cam come out now! It's all clear!"

All of the patrons and staff emerged, clearly relieved that Erika was gone.

"Did you get rid of the troublemaker?" the maître d' asked.

"No problem," Nick replied. "I've dealt with that crazy chick before."

"That was wonderful," the main chef noted. "If there's anything I can do for you..."

Nick thought for a moment. "What kind of cheesecake do you guys have?"

The other Ojamajos, even Momoko, burst out laughing at that.

"What? WHAT?!" Nick exclaimed, unable to comprehend why everyone was laughing at him.

* * *

"I never knew you liked cheesecake," Momoko giggled as she and Nick made their way home.

"Still don't understand why everybody was laughing at me," Nick groaned.

Most of the walk was silent, the two of them just enjoying each other's company.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Despite the fact that the hooded chick crashed the dinner... I really enjoyed our first date."

Nick smiled, reaching out to hug his girlfriend. "So did I, Momoko. So did I."

* * *

On the next episode...

Aiko: Hey, everyone, do we have some news for you!

Akane: Um, Ai-chan, I think that's _our_ line.

Doremi: Yep, we're helping out a team of Pretty Cures on the next episode! It seems like the Bad End Kingdom is up to its usual nonsense...

Nao: Not like _that's_ anything new, honestly.

Momoko: So, we're all teaming up to take them down!

Yayoi: So, please join us, won't you?

Nick: It's gonna be all sorts of fun, next time on a very special _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond & Pearl: The Final Cut _crossover event! "From Bad Ending to Good Ending! Towards the Edge of Dreams, Smile Pretty Cure!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamonds!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!

Miyuki, Akane, Yayoi, Nao, and Reika: PRETTY CURE SMILE CHARGE!


	5. Fight For a Good Ending

_Dear Hana-chan,_

 _It's so good to hear from you again! It's been too long since we've contacted each other! What has it been, five years?_

 _Sorry I haven't written to you in so long. I've just been busy with school life as always. I've got great news: I'm in middle school now! I'm on my way to finding the happiness I've been looking for!_

 _So, what's been up with you? Is high school treating you okay? Have you found a boyfriend yet?_

 _Ah, but I'm asking too many questions._

 _If it's okay, I'd like to ask one more question: would it be okay if we could meet each other? I know Nanairogaoka isn't too far away from Misora, so would that be okay?_

 _Reply back as soon as you can, and I hope you have a super ultra happy day!_

 _Much love and kisses,  
_ _Hoshizora Miyuki_

* * *

 _Dear Miyuki-chan,_

 _It HAS been a while, hasn't it? Hana-chan can't believe it's been five years since the last time I heard from you!_

 _It's okay about the long wait. School will do that to you._

 _As for the boyfriend thing, I'm working on it, but Hana-chan's still looking for the right boy. Hopefully I'll find him soon!_

 _Now on to your question: of course! I'd love to finally meet my childhood pen pal!_

 _Reply back when you can, and always stay happy!_

 _A smile a day,  
_ _Makihatayama Hana_

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut  
_ Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

On Today's Episode: Miyuki Hoshizora apparently has a penpal in the Ojamajos' own Hana Makihatayama. When they request to meet in person for the first time, this sets in motion the latest plot of the Bad End Kingdom in their attempt to conquer the world of fairy tales. To that end, the Ojamajos must warp to Nanairogaoka and ally with the latest team of Pretty Cures to ice this dark plan...

Author's Note/Explanation of this Episode: This was my first Pretty Cure crossover episode. Early on, I decided to do crossovers with all the Pretty Cure series so far, and of course, that idea fell through and I ended up only doing crossovers with Smile and Suite by this point. I do want to do at least two more crossovers by the time I finally get this done, WHENEVER the hell that may be, and one of those will definitely be with Maho Girls Pretty Cure, as the shared witch motif just SCREAMS "we need a crossover!" Also, for the people wondering: yes, I have seen Glitter Force, Saban's adaptation, and I LOVE IT. And I don't want to hear any bashing of Glitter Force, haters. This is NOT the site for that kind of nonsense. Finally, this was originally written before episode 8 of Smile Pretty Cure aired for the first time.

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of nine years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi, Smile Pretty Cure or any of its affiliations. They belong solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi or Pretty Cure, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

* * *

Nick caught a glimpse of Hana out of the corner of his eye as he reached his history classroom; she seemed extremely peppy and full of energy today, more so than she usually did.

And she seemed to be skimming a letter. Wonder what the deal was?

Seeing as how he had about four minutes before class began, Nick decided to query as to what was up and walked over to Hana's desk.

"Hey, Hana-chan, what's up?" Nick asked.

"Hana-chan just got a letter from her penpal!" Hana giggled. "We lost contact after we went our separate ways, and I finally managed to track her down! She wants to meet me this weekend!"

"Oh, that's wonderful, Hana-chan!" Nick responded. "It's about time you two got to see each other."

"She's coming to Misora this weekend and we're going to hang out together!" Hana exclaimed.

Suddenly, a thought struck Nick. "Hey, why don't we gather the others and go there?"

Hana gasped in surprise. "You... you'd really do that?"

"I figured if we head to her town, we might be able to meet her friends, too," Nick answered. "Why don't we go talk to jou-sama when school lets out and we'll see if she can do that for us."

Hana squealed and threw her arms around Nick. "Oh, Kelly-kun, thank you! You're the best friend ever!"

"Hey, I do what I can," Nick replied, returning the white witch's hug.

Neither of them noticed that someone was watching them from outside the classroom window, going completely unnoticed by the passing crowds.

Episode 5: From Bad Ending to Good Ending! Towards the Edge of Dreams, Smile Pretty Cure!

"GO, AKANE-CHAN!" Miyuki Hoshizora shouted from the stands, her hands raised in a cheering pose. She was watching from the stands as her friend Akane Hino, who was a member of the volleyball team, leapt into the air to intercept a serve from the other team, launching it back to the other side with relative ease.

Miyuki looked to her side towards Yayoi Kise, who was drawing something as she liked to do. As the pencil flew over the sketchpad, Miyuki couldn't help but pull herself in for a look. Yayoi was drawing a young girl no older than she and the other Cures were, dressed in a very stylish witch outfit.

Yayoi looked up at Miyuki's sparkling eyes and just had to giggle a bit. "I see you noticed my drawing, Miyuki-chan."

"You're drawing a witch today, huh?" Miyuki proclaimed. "That outfit looks really cool! Did you design that?"

Yayoi nodded. "I just had an idea and wanted to get it on paper before it got away."

"Ooh, I HATE when that happens! I don't like it when my ideas get away!" Miyuki shouted, just then realizing something. "Hey, have you seen Nao anywhere?"

"She and Aoki-san are down on the field," Yayoi answered. Miyuki took a good look and saw Nao Midorikawa on the soccer field, deftly maneuvering the ball around her opponents. Nearby, Reika Aoki, a member of the archery club, took careful aim with her bow and eventually let the arrow fly, scoring a perfect bull's-eye on yet another target.

Needless to say, the field outside the school was a bustle of activity on today's sports field day.

Yayoi quickly noticed that Miyuki was acting extra cheerful today. "You look happy, Miyuki-chan. What's the occasion?"

"My penpal's coming to visit!" Miyuki exclaimed. "I just got another letter from her, and she said that she and her friends are on their way here after school! Ooh, I'm so ultra happy!"

Yayoi smiled as Miyuki rambled on. She really was something else.

Under the bleachers, someone was watching, completely unseen by anyone.

* * *

"So, can you get us there, jou-sama?" Hana asked that afternoon. All of the Ojamajos were gathered in the Majokai, specifically at the queen's throne.

"As much as I think it would be wonderful for our darling little flower to meet a new friend, it would still be putting the city at grave risk," the queen stated.

"Why?" Aiko asked, a little confused. "We'd just be going to meet a friend..."

"Erika," Nick answered for the girls. "She's been attacking us since this whole crazy adventure began. Her majesty thinks that if we leave Misora, we'll be leaving it unguarded."

"I don't think she'll strike Misora if we leave," Hazuki noted. "So far, Erika-san has only attacked us in particular. She'll probably go where we go."

"Hey, good point, Hazuki-chan!" Onpu giggled.

"How about this?" Fami interjected. "Poppu-chan and I can stay while you guys go and meet Hana-chan's friend."

"Really?" Doremi asked. "Is that okay with you, Poppu?"

"Sure, onee-chan," Poppu replied. "At least this way, I'll know we can be of use to you guys."

"If that hooded chick does attack Misora, Poppu-chan and I can take her," Fami continued. "Besides, I can't let Kelly-kun have all the fun in delivering her daily butt-kicking, can I?"

Aiko giggled at that.

"Not _one word,_ Ai-chan," Nick growled. Momoko could only sweatdrop.

"I see," the queen stated. "But why come to me for this?"

"Well, it's a long walk to Nanairogaoka," Onpu explained. "I don't know if we can take a bus all the way there, and I really don't know if we're ready for teleportation magic yet..."

The queen stood up from her throne. "That is a very good point. Teleportation is quite the advanced magic. You'd have to know exactly where you want to be for the spell to work effectively."

"How about we go to Nanairogaoka Middle School?" Hana posited. "That's where Hana-chan's penpal goes to school!"

The queen smiled, her hands beginning to glow with a bright yellow light. "That can most certainly be arranged."

A spiral of energy wrapped around everyone but Poppu and Fami, whisking them away in a searing flash of light.

* * *

Inside the very heart of the dark realm, Erika perked up.

"Master, did you feel that?" Erika asked.

"Indeed, I did," the projection of the Dark Lord Morticon answered. "The Ojamajos have warped away from Misora."

"Ooh, this could be the perfect moment to take down that city," Erika giggled, brandishing her weapons.

"Hold on a moment, Erika," Morticon reprimanded. "We should not rush so blindly into a situation like this."

Erika looked confused, wondering what her master was talking about. "What could possibly be the problem?"

Morticon's eyes closed, then shot open. An image formed in front of Erika, that of the city of Nanairogaoka. "This is the city they have warped to. I sense a set of powerful auras there."

"Great, not more witches to pester us," Erika groaned.

"They are not witches, per se," Morticon continued. "But nonetheless, I can tell that they are extremely powerful for their young age."

Suddenly, Erika realized something. "Oh, wonderful. Now we have Pretty Cures to deal with."

"You know of these warriors, Erika?"

"The Pretty Cures are supposed to be powerful warriors, in the guise of teenage girls, who fight for justice, light, and all that substantially 'good' crap," Erika explained. "I didn't think they actually existed, though... If those auras you sensed do indeed belong to Pretty Cures, we're going to have a lot more trouble than those pesky Ojamajos could ever give us."

"If that is the case, we can delay our mission in Misora for the time being," Morticon stated firmly. "I want you to go to this city and make sure those wretched Pretty Cures don't get in our way."

"You'll have to be more confident than that."

Erika jerked around at the source of this new voice. She looked up to the sky and saw a humanoid wolf-like creature floating there.

"Oh, look. The big bad wolf came to play," Erika stated, brandishing Oathkeeper and Oblivion and shifting into a fighting stance. "Let's play."

Erika leapt at the wolf, only to be slashed away easily.

"You're lucky I'm not here to fight," the wolf taunted. "My name is Wolfrun. I'm here as an ambassador from the Bad End Kingdom."

Morticon studied Wolfrun carefully. "What is it you propose, Wolfrun?"

* * *

Miyuki gazed around, wondering why in the sparkling world she was out here at the school at freaking midnight. The instant after she'd gone to bed, a note had fluttered through her open window, instructing her to go to the school or something bad would happen.

"Gah, this is weirding me out," Miyuki stated to nobody in particular. "Who would want to meet me this late at night? I guess I could count myself lucky that it's the weekend..."

"Miyuki-chan?"

Miyuki spun around at the mention of her name and saw Yayoi walking up to her.

"Yayoi-chan, you too?" Miyuki wondered.

"Why are you up so late, Hoshizora-san?" Nao asked as she, too, arrived at the school.

"Ah! What's going on here?!" Miyuki exclaimed.

"I was gonna ask you that same question," Akane quipped, hopping down from a nearby tree.

"Hino-san? What on earth were you doing in a tree?" Reika wondered as she arrived as well, gawking at the fact that Akane had been standing on a tree branch.

"Surveillance," Akane answered. "I don't like the looks of this, you guys. It seems like we all got these strange notes to come to the school or else something bad will happen. This can't be coincidence."

"What do you propose we do?" Reika asked.

Miyuki reflexively reached into her pocket and pulled out her Smile Pact, setting the Ribbon Décor into its slot. "You guys, I think we need to transform."

Everyone else nodded, taking out their Smile Pacts and setting their respective Ribbon Décors.

Once they were all set, Miyuki gazed around at her friends. "Ready?"

The Cures nodded, holding their Smile Pacts to the sky.

 _"Pretty Cure Smile Charge!"_

But before the magical energy could form the powderpuffs they used to transform, something whizzed by each of the Cures, effectively stealing their Smile Pacts right out of their hands.

"HEY!" Miyuki growled.

"Hey, you! Don't steal things that don't belong to you!" Akane shouted towards the apparent thief.

The thief turned out to be Erika, her hood down. She smiled from beneath the hood as she clutched the five Smile Pacts.

"But you don't deserve these, either," Erika sneered. "So I'm going to hand them off to someone who can hold them until we decide what to do with the Cure Décors that you've collected."

Miyuki gasped at this proclamation. "What? How do YOU know about them?"

Erika simply smirked, tossing the Smile Pacts into the sky, where they were caught by the diminutive Bad End Kingdom witch Majorina. She disappeared before anyone could react.

"And now," Erika stated, drawing both of her keyblades. "I think it's time I eliminated you five once and for all."

"You stole our Pretty Cure powers, what more do you need?!" Akane shot back.

"None of your business," Erika taunted, rushing for the Cures. Before she could get close, however, a bright star appeared in front of her, just inches shy of the Cures.

Miyuki looked around for any sign of what was about to happen.

"What is this?" Erika queried, reaching for the star only to have her hand pass through it. Her question was soon answered.

Nick leapt at Erika, slashing his wand through the star, shattering it and staggering the hooded girl.

"Hey, who's the new kid?" Nao asked.

"He's kinda cute!" Miyuki giggled.

"Keep your head in the game, Miyuki-chan," Akane stated.

Erika wasted no time in gathering her composure. When she was back on her feet, she cast a cautious glance at Nick.

"Why am I not surprised that you're here?" Erika growled.

"And why am I not surprised you're still harassing others?" Nick shot right back.

"I'm sensing a strong power from him," Miyuki noted. "Do you think he's a Pretty Cure, too?"

"Miyuki-chan, boys can't become Pretty Cures, and besides, Candy said we have all five members of the team, right?" Akane wondered.

Nick decided to just cut the talking and readied his wand. As he concentrated, emerald energy began to swirl around the wand like wind.

"You won't get that chance!" Erika shouted.

"You said that last time. What makes you think now will be any different?" Nick taunted, the swirling energy around his wand growing fierce.

"Hey, what's he doing?" Nao asked.

" _Roar like the wind's shining blade!"_ Nick chanted, rushing forward and stabbing at Erika like wildfire, the energy surrounding his wand creating the shape of a rose.

"Oh, I'm gonna love this part!" Akane giggled.

" _Mystic Arte! Vertex Rose!"_ Nick chanted, hopping back before charging and slashing right through Erika and the rose shape. After this, he stood up straight and threw his left arm out. The rose shattered and caused hefty damage to Erika.

"Ugh... that actually hurt..." Erika growled. "So, you've gotten stronger since the last time we met, huh?"

"It's been three weeks since the restaurant," Nick quipped, referring to the time when Erika had attacked the restaurant where Nick and Momoko were having their first date.

"Well, it doesn't really matter. I accomplished what I set out to do," Erika giggled. "So now I will take my leave. Don't think I'm showing you mercy, because I'm not. This is only a prelude to the next time we meet. Au revoir, witches."

And with that said, Erika waved her keyblades and disappeared.

When the battlefield was clear, Nick turned around to face the Pretty Cures. "You girls okay?" he asked.

"Right as rain!" Miyuki giggled.

"That was pretty impressive what you did," Yayoi admitted.

"I've dealt with her a lot lately," Nick replied. "She's not really SUPER evil, mostly annoying. So you girls must be the Pretty Cures I've heard so much about."

Akane instantly rounded on him at that statement. "Hey, little boy, how do you know we're Pretty Cures?!"

 _Am I seriously getting lectured by a middle-school student?_ Nick thought. _She's just like Ai-chan, huh?_

"Well, for one thing, I saw Erika steal your transformation things," Nick explained. "And, to be honest, I didn't think Pretty Cures actually existed until recently. I kinda thought they were just myths and legends. Despite the fact that I have magic powers myself, it still sounded like a child's storybook or something."

"Well, we're the real deal," Akane replied, sounding much more friendly now. "How about we introduce ourselves, so you know for future reference. My name is Hino Akane, better known as the explosive Cure Sunny!"

Nao smiled as well. "My name's Midorikawa Nao, and I'm Cure March, swift like the wind."

Yayoi walked up to Nick, bowing respectfully to him. "Nice to meet you. My name is Kise Yayoi, and I'm Cure Peace."

Reika reached out and shook Nick's hand. "My name is Aoki Reika, also known as Cure Beauty."

Miyuki bounced up and down a few times, obviously excited. "And my name's Hoshizora Miyuki, the ultra awesome Cure Happy!"

Nick perked up at that name. "So you're Hana-chan's penpal, huh?"

Miyuki squealed in surprise, grabbing Nick's shoulders and shaking him a few times. "You mean Makihatayama Hana-chan? You know her?!"

"Of course. She's my childhood friend," Nick answered. "She's been talking nonstop about you for the past week."

Just then, Miyuki realized something. "Wait. Is she HERE?!"

"HEY, NICK! GET BACK HERE!"

 _Right on time,_ Nick thought as he turned towards the forest area he'd arrived from. The other Ojamajos were racing onto the scene just as he'd expected.

"Seriously, Kelly-kun, I don't know why you're _so freaking fast_ ," Aiko groaned.

"Don't start taunting me about it, Ai-chan. I've already been lectured by an Osakan today," Nick stated, gesturing to Akane as he said this.

"Ah, so you knew?" Akane replied.

"Being that I've known Ai-chan since I was nine, I pretty much know an Osakan when I see one," Nick laughed.

"So what the heck did you run off for?" Onpu asked. "You went pretty far."

"I sensed Erika nearby," Nick explained, "so I did what I had to do. But, unfortunately, we've still got a bit of a problem. She stole these girls' transformation things."

Before Nick could continue his explanation, Hana popped out from behind Doremi, instantly being drawn to Miyuki.

"Hana-chan?" Miyuki asked. "Oh, my god, look how you've grown!"

"MIYUKI-CHAN!" Hana exclaimed, dashing forward and glomping Miyuki as everyone expected. "Oh, it's so good to see you!"

"Hana-chan, I didn't expect to see you until at least tomorrow!" Miyuki wondered. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"We teleported!" Hana giggled.

A question mark appeared over Miyuki's head. "You... you what?"

"Okay, hold up!" Akane interjected, looking over at the Ojamajos. "Do you all have powers, too? What's all this about?"

"It's a bit of a long story," Nick admitted. "Why don't we find somewhere to go and we'll explain?"

"It's REALLY late," Yayoi noted. "How about we all meet up tomorrow morning and we'll continue at our secret place?"

"Sounds good to me," Doremi giggled.

* * *

 _The next morning..._

Doremi and the Ojamajos met up with the Pretty Cures that day at Miyuki's house.

"Okay, everybody, let's get to our secret place and we'll trade stories!" Miyuki giggled, reaching for her bookcase. She shifted books on the top shelf to the left, some books on the bottom shelf to the right, and pushed books on the middle shelf to both the left and right. Each time she moved books, a clicking sound was heard until the bookcase began to glow with a bright pink light.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this part?!" Aiko exclaimed as everyone in the room was pulled into the glowing bookcase.

Once everyone could see again, they found themselves inside an immense library with tree branches growing every which way.

"WHOA!" Onpu exclaimed. She looked over at Hazuki, who had stars in her eyes. "Not surprised..."

"Welcome to the Mysterious Library," Miyuki giggled. "It's our secret base for when we need to discuss sensitive Pretty Cure-related stuff."

"This place is incredible!" Hana exclaimed.

"We get that a lot," Akane stated.

"Okay, let's do some storytelling," Reika responded, sitting down on a nearby tree stump.

 _About fifteen minutes later..._

"Okay, so let's sum this up," Akane proclaimed to the seven Ojamajos. "Doremi-chan, you and your friends are witches who are trying to stop an evil demon and his key-wielding minion chick from annihilating the world?"

"And Miyuki-chan, you and _your_ friends are Pretty Cures, legendary warriors destined to fight these fairy-tale freaks from the Bad End Kingdom who wish to make the entire world into a Bad End?" Doremi summarized.

"Interesting stuff," Aiko noted.

"Normal people wouldn't believe such far-fetched stories," Nick stated. "But after what we've all been through in our lives, I'd believe anything."

Suddenly, Miyuki gasped as she realized something. "Hey, Hana-chan, how did you and the others teleport to Nanairogaoka without your parents finding out you've disappeared on them?"

Nick perked up at that; he realized they hadn't told the Pretty Cures THAT part of their story.

"That's... actually part of our story," Doremi answered.

Akane looked over at the pink witch. "So, what happened?"

"Most of our parents... fell under an evil spell and turned on us," Momoko answered. The Pretty Cures set their gaze on the yellow witch as she explained. "That's basically the reason we started this whole adventure. Nick's parents attacked him, and that basically kick-started all of this madness. The only parents who didn't get brainwashed were my own parents. I told them that Hana-chan's mom and dad were coming here to meet you, and they said I could come with. We're lucky it's the weekend, huh?"

"Okay, but now we have a real problem to deal with here," Nao noted. "The Bad End Kingdom has our Smile Pacts now, and without them, we can't transform. Who knows when they'll strike again?"

Nick looked around, thinking of what they could do to fix this problem. Just then, he noticed something.

"Hey, I bet there's a bookcase somewhere in the Bad End Kingdom," Nick noted. "Being that they're so obsessed with fairy tales and corrupting them, I'm sure there's a bunch of books there. And I'm double sure that Erika is working with them, if she's the one who stole your Smile Pacts."

"Oh, yeah! I hadn't thought of that!" Akane exclaimed.

"I think I should go over there," Nick replied. "I don't want you getting caught in a dangerous situation when you can't use your powers. I learned that the hard way when I was ten."

Nick walked up to a bookshelf and did the same thing Miyuki had done in her house: shifting books around to open the Book Door.

"I'll be back, everybody!" Nick exclaimed as the pink light warped him away.

When he had vanished, Akane looked back at the rest of the group. "Is he always that impatient?"

"Been like that since he was a kid," Aiko giggled. "I'd watch out for him, though. He's a bit of a playboy."

"Ai-chan, knock it off!" Momoko shot back. "Nick was sick of that when he was ten, and I don't think he needs to be reminded of that again!"

A sweatdrop appeared on Akane's forehead. "What?"

Aiko grinned. "It's actually quite interesting."

Momoko couldn't do much but facepalm. "And I wonder why no one ever listens to me anymore."

* * *

Nick fell out of another bookcase, thankfully with no one from the Bad End Kingdom in eyesight.

The green witch picked himself up before scanning the surroundings. "This must be the place," Nick quipped. It definitely had the gloomy "bad end" style going on.

"HEY! You give me those!"

Nick spun around at the slightly old-sounding voice. "Guess they're that way," Nick noted, rushing forward until he could see a bunch of figures. Thinking quickly, he dashed to the side of the passageway so as not to be noticed but still giving him enough leeway to see what was going on.

In the round room, Nick could see a gigantic red ogre, a diminutive old witch, and what appeared to be the Big Bad Wolf in a leather biker suit standing in front of Erika herself. The hooded girl was holding the Smile Pacts she'd stolen.

"You give me those things!" Akaoni growled.

"And why should I do that?" Erika shot back. "I'm the one who was able to steal them, not you. I can't believe you dunderheads couldn't think of something so painfully obvious."

"But they're usually transformed before we can even think of stealing them, and by then, it's too late!" Akaoni proclaimed.

"Ugh, why did I seriously have to get stuck with the dunce patrol?" Erika groaned.

Wolfrun flashed his claws at Erika. "What did you call us, you little brat?"

Erika immediately had Oblivion pointed at Wolfrun's neck. "If you want to live long enough to blow the three pigs' houses down, _back the hell off._ "

Wolfrun reluctantly backed away, still keeping his claws at the ready.

"You know, lady, you're being seriously rude," Majorina stated. "After all the trouble we went through to find you and that Morticon character, then you do something for us and now you have the nerve to insult us?! What's your deal?!"

"Because you are all PATHETIC!" Erika shouted. "You constantly get your asses handed to you by a bunch of _teenage girls_ , and yet you still think you're going to reshape this world? You're lucky that I'm so intrigued by what this Pierrot character is capable of, otherwise I would have just handled this whole damn thing myself."

"You don't know where you're treading, little hooded brat," Wolfrun growled. "Pierrot is the Emperor of Evil, destined to throw this entire universe into a Bad End! You have no idea what kind of power he is capable of."

Nick just stood there silently, listening in on the argument and assessing the situation. _Wow. Didn't think Erika would be the impatient type. Okay, let's see..._ As he thought out his plan, Nick took another look at the bickering villains, sizing up his competition. _The red oni thing seems to be the stronger one. The little witch is pretty frail, and mister big bad wolf seems to be somewhere in the middle. But even with my powers, I can't fight all four of those people at once. So let's make this a hit-and-run. I think I'll disable the oni, then go fight Erika until I can distract her long enough to grab the Smile Pacts, and then I'll run like all hell._

Akaoni raised his club. "You want me to smash you, little girl?"

Erika smirked, raising Oathkeeper and Oblivion. "Go ahead and try. I dare you."

Akaoni was about to meet the challenge and swing his club, but stopped as he felt something poke him in the back.

"Ouch! Who just poked me? Majorina, did one of your things gain free will again?"

" _Roar like the wind's shining blade!"_ Nick shouted, stabbing with wild abandon at Akaoni's backside and forming the shape of a blue rose, much like he had earlier.

"Hey, who's chanting?" Majorina gasped.

"Oh, great," Erika groaned.

" _Mystic Arte! Vertex Rose!"_ Nick chanted. The rose shape shattered, knocking Akaoni out cold and sending him face first to the floor.

"What the...?!" Wolfrun growled.

"YOU!" Erika shouted. "How did you get here?!"

"None of your business," Nick taunted, mimicking Erika's earlier statement to the Pretty Cures. "So, you guys are the Bad End Kingdom. Can't say I'm impressed."

"Why is everybody mocking us now?" Majorina growled.

"Well, it's fun for me," Nick admitted, spinning his wand around in his hands and deciding that he didn't really need to fight after all. "Now, as to what I came for..."

Nick wasted no time in slamming his wand down to the ground, this motion creating a bright flash that flooded out the entire room with an odd yellow-ish light. As expected, every villain in the room was momentarily blinded.

"Ah, that was a dirty trick!" Majorina shouted.

Nick, who had covered his vision the instant the flash had happened, rushed for the wall table where the Smile Pacts were resting, able to see fairly well in the bright light.

Once the flash dissipated, Erika didn't hesitate to draw her keyblades and face Nick, only to discover that he had run off.

Erika would have deemed this a cowardly move had she not noticed that the Smile Pacts weren't in the room anymore.

"Sorry to fight and run, Erika, but I'm late for an appointment!" Nick's voice echoed from far away.

"Oh, son of a bitch, I should have known he was going to do that," Erika growled. "Well?! Don't just stand there! GO GET HIM!"

Wolfrun and Majorina dashed down the hallway, with Akaoni bringing up the rear, the red demon having just regained consciousness.

Thankfully, Nick had been far enough ahead of the villains when he'd made the distracting flash of light, so he had a clear run back to the bookcase. Acting quickly so the villains wouldn't see how to use it, Nick set the Smile Pacts onto an empty shelf and began to shift the books there around in the proper order until it began to glow with a bright pink light.

"Come on, you slowpokes, he's getting away!" Akaoni growled. But when they reached the bookcase, Nick was already in the process of warping away, Smile Pacts in hand.

"So long, suckers!" Nick shouted. _I've always wanted to say that._

Before anyone could respond, Nick had vanished.

"Wolfrun, you go back to the human world and cause some chaos," Erika ordered. "We have to draw them out."

Wolfrun grinned wickedly. "With pleasure."

* * *

 _The Mysterious Library, unknown time..._

"No WAY!" Nao exclaimed. "That must have been hard on you, huh?"

"Well, it wasn't as bad," Momoko explained. "It would have lasted longer if Nick hadn't volunteered to take me on until the queen could get Majotourbillon out of my body."

"And that's when I realized that he was a playboy," Aiko teased. "He had a crush on Doremi-chan until he met Momo-chan, and then that happens."

"Isn't Doremi-chan's boyfriend supposed to be, like, the prince of the wizard world or something?" Akane asked.

"Like I said, playboy. The others are just lucky that I'm around to... OUCH!"

That last was brought on by something that had rapped Aiko on the back of her head. She turned around and saw Nick standing there. The blue witch's face went as pale as a sheet.

"You're not the kind of friend who would talk smack about someone behind their back, are you, Ai-chan?" Nick proclaimed.

Aiko laughed nervously before backing a few steps away.

"Seriously, Akane-chan, I'm no playboy," Nick stated. "She's just jealous that I have so many friends that are girls."

"The proper term is 'charisma', right?" Akane giggled.

"FINALLY, someone gets it right!" Nick exclaimed. "I've been telling Ai-chan that for eight years now!"

Everyone there burst out laughing at this.

"So, how'd your trip to the creepy place go?" Miyuki asked.

Nick grinned widely, holding out the Smile Pacts. "Special delivery for the Pretty Cures."

Miyuki gasped in surprise, rushing up to reclaim her Smile Pact. The other Cures did the same thing.

"I think I need to say this now," Akane stated. "Nick, you ROCK!"

"That was so brave going there all by yourself," Yayoi giggled.

"Must have been quite a battle there," Nao noted.

"But he made it out," Reika replied. "That's what matters."

"YAY! My penpal's a Pretty Cure again!" Hana exclaimed, rushing up to glomp Miyuki.

Just then, a little white fairy came bounding onto the scene.

"The wolf is attacking the city-kuru!" the fairy exclaimed. "We have to go and stop him-kuru!"

"Are you sure, Candy?" Miyuki asked.

"He's probably mad because I outwitted them back there," Nick stated. "Let's get back to the city and kick some butt."

* * *

 _Nanairogaoka City Park, 2:21 PM..._

The Ojamajos and Pretty Cures rushed towards the city park in a combined group, hoping to stop the Bad End Kingdom from messing with the place any more than they already had.

"Hey, I see mister big bad!" Nick exclaimed. "Let's kick it into high gear!"

Wolfrun gazed around the park, ready to cause some chaos. "Let's get this over with. The sooner I collect this Bad Energy, the sooner I can deal with those pesky magical girls."

Wolfrun produced a book from behind him. "The worst possible ending in the world!"

The wolf slammed the book down and opened it, raising his left hand to reveal a tube of black paint.

"Be covered with a Bad End!" Wolfrun continued, squeezing the tube until it burst open, the paint within covering his hand.

"Your white futures shall be painted black with despair!"

Wolfrun slashed at the empty page on his book, covering it with the paint on his hand and forming a sort of claw shape.

Almost instantaneously, the sky above the city shifted from a bright blue to a disgusting and ominous purple, with a white moon in place of the sun.

The Ojamajos and Pretty Cures skidded to a stop just in time to notice that many of the kids at the playground had fallen to their knees, sounding like they had lost all hope.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Hazuki exclaimed.

"Wolfrun is making the world go toward a Bad End!" Candy shouted. "We have to stop him-kuru!"

Wolfrun snickered evilly, waves of dark energy beginning to flow into his book. "The Bad Energy from these humans shall revive the Emperor of Evil, Pierrot!"

When the dark energy had finished traveling into the book, Wolfrun looked down at the group, grimacing. "Why am I not surprised you're here?"

"Out of all four of you psychos, you seem to be the most in control of yourself," Nick taunted. "Can you keep that up, mister big bad?"

"I'll make you pay for mocking me, boy!" Wolfrun shouted, now holding what appeared to be a clown nose. "Come out, Akanbe!"

Red lightning radiated from the clown nose, and it spread to a nearby cluster of trees. When the red flash cleared, a gigantic monster made of oak trees was standing in front of Wolfrun. It had a strange-looking face covered with clown makeup, and its nose was the one that Wolfrun had been holding before.

"Holy HELL, that thing's huge!" Onpu exclaimed. "What is that clown ripoff?!"

"An Akanbe," Candy explained. "The Bad End Kingdom uses their captured Cure Décors to create these freaky monsters-kuru! The only way to free the Décor is to purify the Akanbe-kuru!"

"We need to be transformed for that, right?" Nick asked. Candy nodded. "We probably can't do that until this thing's incapacitated. Hold on just a second."

Nick drew his wand and began to concentrate. As he did, emerald energy began to swirl around the wand like wind.

" _Roar like the wind's shining blade!"_ Nick chanted, rushing forward and stabbing at the Akanbe like wildfire, the energy surrounding his wand creating the shape of a rose.

"This move again?" Wolfrun growled.

" _Mystic Arte! Vertex Rose!"_ Nick chanted, hopping back before charging and slashing right through the Akanbe and the rose shape. After this, he stood up straight and threw his left arm out. The rose shattered and made the Akanbe collapse.

"You really like using that move, don't you, Kelly-kun?" Aiko teased.

"There's no time for teasing, Ai-chan!" Doremi exclaimed. "We need to transform, and we need to do it NOW, before that thing can get up!"

"What the hell are you doing, Akanbe?!" Wolfrun growled. "Get off of your lazy behind and crush these insignificant pests!"

Nick immediately went for his Jewel Tap. The other Ojamajos did the same as the Pretty Cures held out their Smile Pacts and set their Ribbon Décors into the slot.

" _Ready?"_ the Smile Pact proclaimed.

"All right. Ojamajos, Pretty Cures," Nick proclaimed, holding out his Jewel Tap. "You guys ready?!"

"READY!" everyone shouted.

Miyuki's body began to glow with a bright pink light. The other Cures' bodies also began to glow their respective colors.

" _Pretty Cure Smile Charge!"_ the Cures shouted.

The Ojamajos slowly spun their hands in a circle, creating an energy circle shaped like a full moon in front of them.

" _Until all are one, we will fight as one!"_ the Ojamajos shouted, pressing the buttons on their Jewel Taps, then thrusting them forward through the energy circles. _"Ojamajos, change!"_

A gargantuan cylinder of light surrounded the entire group, pushing Wolfrun back a few feet.

Pink music notes spiraled around Doremi's hand and formed her gloves. Doremi did a quick pirouette and flicked her hands forward, her tap disappearing. She tapped her sides, doing a cute pose as the main body of her uniform materialized, her tap situated on the center of it. She clicked her heels twice, the boots materializing as well. Doremi raised her hand so she could catch her witch hat and put it on her head.

Miyuki tapped her powderpuff onto the Smile Pact twice before tapping her wrists, forming her gloves. She reached down to tap her legs with the powderpuff, forming the boots of her uniform. She tapped her shoulders and chest in rapid succession, and this formed the main body of her Cure outfit. Miyuki threw her arms outward, and her dark magenta hair shifted to a lighter shade and grew two really long ponytails. She tapped her cheeks twice with the powderpuff, adding a bit of blush to her cheeks.

Hazuki brushed a few locks of her hair aside, and orange music notes formed her gloves. Hazuki tossed her tap into the air and brushed down her shirt, forming the main body of her uniform. She reached down and tapped her shoes twice, forming the boots. She reached up and caught her tap, placing it on the center of her uniform. Hazuki pushed a button on her tap, and her witch hat materialized and fell onto her head.

Akane snapped her fingers, and her powderpuff was surrounded by flames. She grinned widely before slamming the powderpuff onto her chest, covering her body in flames that eventually dissipated to form her Cure uniform. She reared back, her fists clenched, and when she popped back up again, her red hair shifted to a bright orange and tied itself up in a bun at the top. Akane, like Miyuki, tapped her cheeks twice with the powderpuff, adding a bit of blush to her cheeks.

Aiko clenched her fists and struck a fighting pose, and her gloves formed. Aiko then did a backflip and the body of her uniform materialized. Aiko then leaped into the air again, flicking her wrists out as if to shoot a basketball, and when she landed, her boots formed. Aiko then reached behind her back to grab her witch hat and place it on her head.

Onpu twirled her hand as if spinning her microphone, which formed her gloves. She then tapped a few spots on her chest and the body of the uniform materialized. Onpu followed this up by bending down as if readying for a race, and her boots formed. She spun around and produced her microphone, singing a few notes as her witch hat fell onto her head.

Yayoi clapped her hands five times, then did a little ballet twirl. Tiny sparks danced around her body and formed her gloves and boots. A brief flash of lightning converged on her and formed the main body of her uniform. She closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened them, her hair grew larger with a 'pop' sound. As with the others, Yayoi tapped both of her cheeks with the powderpuff to add a bit of blush to her looks.

Momoko immediately jumped, stretching her hands out as her gloves formed. When she landed, she threw a quick uppercut before winking cutely, this forming the body of her uniform. Momoko then did a few dance steps until her boots formed. This done, Momoko reached up to catch and adorn her witch hat.

Nao smirked before swinging her glowing Smile Pact in a triangle shape, creating wind energy that circled around her body to form her Cure outfit. After her outfit was formed, Nao tossed her head back, and her dark green hair shifted to a mint green shade and grew extremely long, forming a ponytail. Nao also tapped her cheeks twice with the powderpuff, adding a bit of blush to her cheeks.

Hana wasted no time in throwing her arms upward to form her gloves. She quickly tapped the bracelets she usually wore, and this formed the body of her uniform. Hana then performed a few spinning kicks, forming her boots. When she was finished, Hana grabbed her witch hat and spun it around a few times before placing it on her head.

Nick lashed out with a left hook, then a right-handed uppercut to form his gloves. He quickly did a spin before landing with a snap kick, this forming the body of his uniform. Nick followed this up with a few roundhouse kicks to form the boots. Nick then did a scissor kick to bring out his witch hat.

Reika blew on her powderpuff as if scattering snowflakes, and indeed, snowflakes of all shapes and sizes flew from the powderpuff, eventually swirling around Reika and forming most of her uniform. She held her hands to her heart for a couple seconds, and this formed the main body of the uniform. She then casually tossed her hair to the side, which grew longer and became a lighter shade of blue. Like the others, Reika tapped her cheeks twice with the powderpuff, adding a bit of blush to her cheeks.

Once everyone was transformed, the cylinder of light surrounding them dissipated, and Wolfrun could see them again. To the wolf, the transformation had happened instantly.

Miyuki stood firm, waving her hands in a 'sparkling' manner. _"Twinkling and shining, the light of the future! Cure Happy!"_

Akane clenched her fist and thrust it forward, fire bursting from her clenched hand as she posed. _"The brilliant sun and hot-blooded power, Cure Sunny!"_

Yayoi did the same motion Miyuki had done, only this time adding a few shakes of her wrists before throwing out the 'paper sign of jan-ken-pon. _"The sparkling and glittering rock-paper-scissors, Cure Peace!"_

Nao clenched her fists before waving and posing in a way that the wind could blow her hair about. _"Courageous and piercing cold, a clean-cut match! Cure March!"_

Reika held her hands to her heart as snowflakes fell around her. _"The falling and gathering snow of a noble heart, Cure Beauty!"_

" _We are the five lights that will guide everyone to the future!"_ the Cures shouted before performing their group pose. _"Everyone sparkle! Smile Pretty Cure!"_

" _I love steak and I always wish the best for my friends!"_ Doremi did a few leaping spins before landing rather gracefully and throwing her arms out as if to welcome someone. _"The gleaming ruby, Doremi-chi!"_

" _The studious and kind heart that knows no fear..."_ Hazuki linked her hands behind her back and thrust them behind her, bending over and smiling brightly. _"The knowledgeable topaz, Hazuki-chi!"_

" _The athletic pick-me-up, a courageous friend to the end!"_ Aiko threw a few quick punches before placing her right hand on her hip and thrusting her left hand into the sky. _"The athletic sapphire, Aiko-chi!"_

" _The singer that touches peoples' heart with a graceful melody..."_ Onpu sheathed her microphone, then brushed her hands across her purple locks before settling them behind her head in an impossibly cute pose. _"The elegant amethyst, Onpu-chi!"_

" _The pride of the American homeland, always ready for action!"_ Momoko did a pirouette before slamming both hands down in a pose that made it appear she was aiming for something. _"The gorgeous pearl, Momoko-chi!"_

" _An impatient boy with courage to spare and bravado to go around!"_ Nick did one more jumping spin before putting two fingers on his left hand to his forehead and throwing out his right hand. _"The sparkling diamond, Kelly-chi!"_

" _A princess with boundless energy and no boundaries on life!"_ Hana performed a few windmills with her arms and eventually settling on bending one arm across her chest and reaching to the sky with her other arm. _"The happy peridot, Hana-chan-chi!"_

Rainbow energy began to swirl around the Ojamajos. _"The world's youngest witches with the power to save the planet!"_ All seven Ojamajos performed their post-henshin poses one more time as a group. _"We are the Ojamajos, the guardians of the witch world!"_

"About time you all managed to step it up," Wolfrun growled. "But let's see you get past this monster! Akanbe, get them!"

The gigantic tree monster grunted and charged for the group, though its charge was really more like a waddle, considering how large it was and how tiny its legs were.

Doremi sweatdropped at this. "Um, okay?"

"I suggest you guys purify it while we've got time," Nick stated. "That thing doesn't look like it can move very fast."

"I sense a lot of power in this Akanbe-kuru!" Candy shouted. "All five of you need to do your attacks together this time-kuru!"

"All right, everybody, let's rock!" Cure Happy exclaimed.

Cure Happy surrounded her hands with pink energy before drawing a large heart with them. After this, the energy heart shrunk so Cure Happy could fit it in her hands. _"Pretty Cure Happy Shower!"_ After calling her attack name, Cure Happy brought the energy heart behind her Kamehameha-style, before thrusting her hands forward and unleashing a gargantuan beam of pink energy.

Cure Sunny tossed her Smile Pact into the air, and it became engulfed in flames, forming a sphere shaped similarly to a volleyball. _"Pretty Cure Sunny Fire!"_ Cure Sunny rushed forward before eventually leaping into the air and slamming her hand into the fire sphere, spiking it volleyball-style towards the Akanbe.

Cure Peace raised her right hand into the sky, her index and middle fingers separated in a peace sign. A bolt of lightning shot down from the air and surrounded Cure Peace's hand. _"Pretty Cure Peace Thunder!"_ After a little surprised yelp, she began spinning around, creating a ring of electricity around her body. When she finished spinning, she aimed for the Akanbe and thrust both her hands forward, projecting her gathered energy as a large, jagged bolt of lightning.

Cure March floated above the ground before a second before dashing forward. After a bit, she spread her hands out, forming a green sphere of wind energy in front of her. _"Pretty Cure March Shoot!"_ Cure March lashed her right foot out with the force of a runaway freight train, soccer-kicking the sphere towards the Akanbe.

Cure Beauty raised her right hand, snowflakes gathering around it until they formed a sphere. She then used her left hand to draw a snowflake pattern in front of her. _"Pretty Cure Beauty Blizzard!"_ Cure Beauty quickly forced the sphere through the snowflake, unleashing a wave of bitter cold towards the Akanbe.

"Akanbe, dodge it, for cripes' sake!" Wolfrun growled.

But being that the Akanbe was too large and stubby to maneuver well, it couldn't do much but waddle in place as the five purification attacks rushed towards it and struck home with terrifying force, covering the Akanbe in a column of purifying light.

The Akanbe couldn't do much but call out its name as the energy surrounding it did its work and vaporized it, leaving only its clown nose, which also dissolved to reveal a little hairpin-like thing shaped like a crescent moon that fell into Cure Peace's hands.

"Charm Décor-kuru!" Candy exclaimed.

"Curses... foiled again," Wolfrun sneered. "But this battle isn't over yet! I still have one more trick up my sleeves!"

Wolfrun instantly pulled out another clown nose, shocking the group.

"How many of those things do you have?!" Cure Sunny shouted.

"Seeing as how you're already exhausted from using your attacks, this one should make you all easy pickings," Wolfrun taunted.

"Oh, seriously, do I have to do EVERYTHING myself?" a voice cut in. Erika hopped in and slashed at Wolfrun with both of her keyblades, forcing him to back away.

"What was that for?!" Wolfrun shouted.

"Just disappear or whatever it is you do," Erika growled. "This is my fight now."

Wolfrun just scoffed and vanished.

"Don't mind that," Erika stated. "I've decided that I need to step in because those guys are so pathetic they can't handle themselves. Now, Pretty Cures, let's see if you can handle me. Trust me when I say I don't play nice OR fair."

Erika silently picked her first target, charging straight for Cure Happy.

"You're not nice!" Cure Happy shouted.

"I told you that already. You're just now joining us?" Erika teased.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Hana exclaimed, jumping in front of Cure Happy and raising her wrists.

"So, you wish to die instead, I see?" Erika proclaimed, swinging Oathkeeper and Oblivion forward, only to have both weapons bounce harmlessly off of Hana's magical wristbands.

"What?!" Erika exclaimed.

" _Silver Reversal!"_ Hana exclaimed, white light radiating from her wristbands until it formed a bright sphere that sent Erika flying backwards.

Erika quickly gathered herself, smirking brightly. "So, the little queen-to-be learned some new tricks. Well, so have I!"

The hooded girl rushed forward and began to duel with Hana, the white witch effortlessly blocking each of Erika's strikes with her wristbands, attempting to slip in a counterattack when she could.

No one knew when exactly the tide of the battle turned, but Nick was the first to notice when Hana ducked under a stab from Erika and swung her wrist up, the bracelet colliding with Oblivion and knocking Erika off balance.

Hana slammed her palms together and began to gather energy. After a few seconds, her hands began to glow white.

" _Glistening Projection!"_ Hana shouted, unleashing the energy she'd gathered in the form of a white wave of light that struck Erika in the chest and sent her stumbling.

"All right, so you're going to be stubborn," Erika growled, coating Oathkeeper in a veil of darkness and slashing hard, creating a dark wave that passed through Hana and paralyzed her.

" _Swarm of infinite blades!"_ Erika chanted, swinging both Oathkeeper and Oblivion like wildfire and creating hundreds of ethereal keyblades around her. _"Your dreams shattered in vain!"_ Each of the spiritual weapons reappeared around the trapped Hana.

" _Mystic Arte! Punishing Blossom!"_ Erika finished, all of her ethereal weapons converging on Hana at the same and causing some serious damage.

When Hana was down, Erika once again set her sights on Cure Happy. "Now, where were we?"

Cure Happy braced herself for the inevitable attack, only to find that Nick had hopped in to block the strike.

"What, did you seriously forget about me?" Nick teased, using his right hand to catch both blades while aiming his wand at Cure Happy.

 _"Asobu soba de sakiyaki sore! Give Cure Happy the energy she needs!"_

Cure Happy began to glow with a bright emerald light, and she no longer looked exhausted. She looked at Nick, who winked at her. She nodded and began to charge her attack again.

 _Let's hope this works,_ Cure Happy thought.

"What are you up to?" Erika growled as she applied more pressure into her swing, hoping to get Nick to crack.

" _Pretty Cure Happy Shower!"_ Cure Happy exclaimed, performing her attack again, happy to see that it was effective this time.

At the last possible second, Nick released his grip on Erika's weapons and dive-rolled to the left so that the Happy Shower would hit Erika instead. Erika couldn't react in time at the speed the attack was coming, and she was thrown way back by the Happy Shower.

"Jumping daffodils, it worked!" Cure Sunny exclaimed.

"I'll give it a shot now," Cure Beauty stated, rushing forward and leaping at Erika with almost tiger-like grace, lashing her left foot out and smashing it into the hooded girl's face.

This simple roundhouse had its effect, sending Erika catapulting across the landscape. Cure Beauty wasted no time in hopping back over to the rest of the group.

"I think we need to end this fight now, before that woman can get up and attack us again," Cure Beauty proclaimed. "Who knows what else she can do?"

"Right-o!" Cure Sunny responded. "Deliver a knockout before she can regain her composure!"

"But how do we do that?" Cure Peace asked. "We can't use our attacks right now, and I don't know if Kelly-kun has enough magic to support all of us."

"Good point," Doremi groaned. "Ah, the downsides of being a witch..."

"How about we try a group attack?" Cure March wondered. "Something with all of us pouring energy into a knockout blow?"

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Cure Happy exclaimed, rushing over to help Hana up. "You okay, Hana-chan?"

"She... she got me good, but Hana-chan will be just fine," Hana replied, reaching out to hug Cure Happy. "Thanks for being concerned!"

"I wouldn't be a very good friend if I wasn't concerned about the people I love," Cure Happy giggled, returning Hana's hug.

"All right, everybody, let's join our powers and knock that crazy chick's block off!" Nick exclaimed.

The Ojamajos and Pretty Cures all began to join hands with each other, eventually forming a complete circle.

" _Moments that become precious treasures that we go on collecting..."_ Cure Happy and Cure Sunny chanted. They began to glow with their respective colors.

" _This world and all of its wonderful splendors..."_ Cure Peace, Cure March, and Cure Beauty chanted. They also began to glow with their respective colors.

" _The flowers that bathe the world with their light..."_ Doremi, Hazuki, and Aiko chanted. They also began to glow.

" _The sky that protects us from the dangers of the unknown..."_ Onpu, Momoko, and Hana chanted. Like the others, they began to glow brightly.

Nick looked to the sky. _"And the light that shines like the sun inside all of us..."_

" _We won't let the darkness stain this world with the lifeblood of the innocent!"_ everyone shouted together. Everyone in the circle began to glow with a bright white light.

A bright column of light shot into the air from within the circle the group was forming, stopping at about six feet in the air and forming itself into a gigantic, rainbow-colored Spirit Bomb-esque ball of magic.

Doremi and Cure Happy disconnected from the circle to leap into the air after the immense energy sphere.

" _Now, our combination special!"_ Cure Happy exclaimed.

" _The power of our love for the world!"_ Doremi exclaimed.

Cure Happy joined hands with Doremi.

 _"Pretty Cure Ojamajo Special! Lights of the Future, strike forth!"_

Doremi and Cure Happy used their joined hands to strike the sphere of magic, causing it to split apart. The collected energy rocketed straight for Erika in the form of twelve gargantuan, jagged beams of light energy, each beam's color representing one member of each team.

Erika regained her composure just in time to see the beams thundering towards her with all the speed of lightning itself.

"You won't get me that easily!" Erika screamed, raising Oathkeeper and Oblivion to block the attack.

Though all twelve beams struck Oathkeeper and Oblivion and were being held back from their target, Erika instinctively knew she couldn't hold it back for much longer. She put up a valiant fight, but the beams eventually broke through her guard and ravaged her body, sending her flying in a rainbow explosion.

The Pretty Cures and Ojamajos all threw their hands to the sky in a cheering pose. "CHECKMATE!" they all shouted when the Lights of the Future attack had taken its toll.

Erika slowly picked herself up, her damage obvious due to the ripped parts of her black robe. "Ugh... you're too good... I guess I made a mistake in messing with the Pretty Cures as well..."

"Damn right you did!" Aiko and Cure Sunny exclaimed at the same time. Once they realized they'd said that at the exact same instant, they looked at each other and blushed, then started laughing.

"Now unless you want more of that, I suggest you leave," Cure March proclaimed.

"Yeah, because you haven't even seen CLOSE to everything that we've got in store for you!" Onpu shouted back.

"I clearly can't fight like this," Erika growled. "So I guess I'll retreat for now. But I'll be back, no doubt about it."

Willing herself to get to her feet, Erika recalled her keyblades and vanished in a dull flash.

Cure Happy smiled brightly. "We did it! We kicked butt once again!"

"As we always do," Aiko giggled. Everyone tossed their arms outwards and in a flash of light, they all reverted back to normal.

Once everyone was back to their normal selves, the dark sky instantly evaporated, leaving the bright blue sky of the afternoon.

"Is that chick really always that evil?" Akane asked.

"To be honest, I don't know," Nick answered. "We've only been doing this thing for about a week or so now. She's mostly just annoying, popping up everywhere and driving me nuts with all this 'I'm going to annihilate this world because you don't deserve it' garbage."

"Ah, what can you do when it comes to evil villains?" Nao proclaimed. "At least she was actually a challenge."

"Until we completely DESTROYED HER, that is!" Aiko shouted, to which everyone started laughing.

* * *

 _A few hours later, the Mysterious Library..._

Miyuki quickly opened the Decor Décor and placed the Charm Décor they'd won from the giant tree Akanbe into the slot on her Smile Pact. A bright light shot from the Smile Pact, forming into seven tiny charms, each shaped like a Smile Pact, that fell into the hands of the seven Ojamajos. Each of the tiny charms was painted the Ojamajos' respective colors.

"So, right here in this Mysterious Library, I hereby declare the seven of you honorary Pretty Cures!" Miyuki proclaimed. "For your hard work and bravery in helping us deliver another knockout to the Bad End Kingdom AND that freaky hooded chick!"

"Um, could you make two more, if possible?" Momoko asked. "For our friends back home. They decided to stay back in Misora in case Erika attacked there."

"No problem!" Miyuki giggled, taking the Charm Décor out of her Smile Pact and placing it right back in. Two more Smile Pact charms formed, colored red and violet, that fell right into Momoko's hand.

"That was very fun, teaming up with all of you," Yayoi stated. "Are we ever going to see you again after this?"

Hana wasted no time in glomping Miyuki yet again. "Of course! I'm coming back to visit Miyuki-chan every weekend! It's a promise!"

"You know, this charm reminds me of someone..." Doremi noted. "Could I be thinking of another Pretty Cure?"

A voice in the back of Doremi's head seemed to be telling her that she didn't know how right she was.

"I guess you guys have to go back home now?" Nao asked.

"Not right away," Hazuki answered. "Asuka-san said we should be back by Sunday night, and it's only Saturday afternoon right now."

"YAY!" Hana shouted. Everyone had a good laugh at that.

* * *

On the next episode...

Hazuki: So, we're finally opening the MAHO-dou for business again, huh?

Onpu: Makes me wonder what we're going to sell this time around.

Momoko: Oh, hey, Majorin-san, what are you doing here on such short notice?

Majorin: I'm... I'm afraid I have some sad news. It has to do with a fellow witch.

Nick: Wait, Majorin. You're not telling me what I think you're telling me, are you?

Doremi: That's right! On the next episode, we learn about someone who was close to Kelly-kun after we all went our separate ways!

Aiko: Hey, what are YOU doing here?!

Erika: I felt like crashing the party. Especially after what I just did.

Momoko: You've got some nerve, little lady!

Erika: You seriously don't know what I did today?

Nick: I'm sorry, WHAT did you just say?! Next time on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond & Pearl: The Final Cut_, "A Sad and Crushing Loss! Nick's Electrifying Transformation!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamonds!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!


	6. Rage Unleashed

"Oh, my gosh, are you serious?"

Majorin looked up, wondering what was going on. The queen was apparently convening with one of her fellow witches, but about what?

"That's so sad... I wish we could tell him right away," the queen responded.

"I just found out today," Majo Pon replied through a shimmering portal of light. "He probably won't know unless we tell him."

"Must we tell him?" the queen asked. "It was hard enough for him that he lost contact with her after the whole disaster with Majotourbillon."

"We will have to relay the news to him eventually," Majo Pon continued. "How shall we tell him?"

"Majorin is the closest to him. I will ask her to relay the situation," the queen replied. "Thank you, Majo Pon."

Majo Pon nodded as the portal disappeared.

By this point, Majorin had stepped up to the queen's throne. "What's the matter, your majesty?"

"I have some sad news, Majorin. Do you remember Majonomi?"

Majorin perked up at this name. Yes, she did remember Majonomi; she was a witch who had grown very close to Nick after the Ojamajos had said goodbye to their magical lives. When Nick and Momoko had returned to New York, every now and then, Nick would pass by Majomonroe's Magical Sweets Shop just to revisit old memories. One day, he'd noticed someone nearby, discreetly following the person to another strange magic shop that no one ever really seemed to notice. After looking around, he had met Majonomi, instantly recognizing her as a witch though Nick had made sure not to call her out on it. At first, Nick had been confused, wondering what Majonomi was still doing in the human world after the disaster with Majotourbillon's curse. Majonomi had explained that having long ago been married to a human like Majotourbillon, she felt a strong connection to the human world and didn't want to leave it behind. Nick had begun meeting her in secret, learning more tricks of the trade from her. When Nick had turned fourteen, he'd lost contact with Majonomi, growing increasingly curious as to what had happened to her.

"Yes, I remember. Is something wrong?"

"She passed away just a few days ago."

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger proudly presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_  
Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

On Today's Episode: On what appears to be a routine day at the return of the MAHO-dou, Majorin brings some sad news: Majonomi, a fellow witch that Nick had grown attached to, has passed away unexpectedly. As expected, Nick is quite saddened by the news, but when Erika crashes the scene and reveals a very startling factor in the case, Nick lets his rage get the better of him and undergoes a very peculiar transformation... Has Erika gone a step too far in taunting her nemesis?

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of nine years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi or any of its affiliations. They belong solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

* * *

"Has ANYONE decided what we're gonna do with this place?" Majorika asked. The Ojamajos were all rounded up at the MAHO-dou on their mentor's insistence.

"Well, it's interesting to think about," Hazuki stated. "The MAHO-dou hasn't been in business for almost five years."

"Let me guess, Dela-san's been hounding you?" Aiko quipped.

"She just will not shut up about wanting to make some more profit now that I decided to re-open the shop!" Majorika proclaimed. "We need to think of something we can do before she starts making house calls every day!"

"But what _can_ we do?" Onpu asked, her hand resting on her chin in thought. "We've sold charms, flowers, sweets, and general goods, so what's next?"

The Ojamajos sat thinking for a while, each one of them tossing around an idea, though none of them really took off.

But just when they were on the verge of losing hope, Nick suddenly realized something.

"Hey, I think I got it!" Nick exclaimed. All eyes in the room were trained on the green witch as he explained his idea.

"One of my aspirations in life was to be part of a jewelry store," Nick stated. "It was something that runs in the family, at least on my mom's side. So, when we started tossing ideas around, I figured, why not turn the MAHO-dou into a jewelry shop?"

"Selling jewelry, huh?" Majorika quipped. "You know, kid, that's actually not a bad idea!"

"Glad you approve," Nick replied as something in his mind clicked. "Oh, and I thought I told you five years ago to stop calling me a kid."

Majorika just groaned at that. It had been like that ever since the day when Nick had discovered Doremi and the girls' secret.

"Good to see Kelly-kun hasn't changed that much," Fami giggled.

Episode 6: A Sad and Crushing Loss! Nick's Electrifying Transformation!

So, for the rest of that day, the Ojamajos began work on fixing up the MAHO-dou so it could easily be converted into a jewelry shop. Nick had even helped with some of the heavy lifting, surprising considering he had once said he wasn't much for lifting things. Telling the others this had really only resulted in a playful punch from Aiko. She'd acted stern like a mother would, but Nick knew she was only teasing. In particular, Nick was glad Aiko had softened up to him in the past few years.

When the sun could no longer be seen along the Misora skyline, and the moon was beginning to creep up from its resting place, Nick and the Ojamajos stood outside the newly-christened "Jewelry World MAHO-dou", quite proud of their handiwork.

"What a day, everybody," Doremi proclaimed, taking a good look at the results of their hard work. "The Jewelry World should be ready to open shop tomorrow!"

"About time, too," Majorika stated. "It's been a while since I had some real business. Selling charms doesn't really do much nowadays."

"And again, the silly witch frog lady prioritizes her sales," Onpu giggled.

"HEY! I'm not a witch frog anymore!" Majorika growled. "We broke that curse, remember?"

At that particular point, Nick noticed a glow coming from inside the shop, specifically from a closet that rested near the main desk.

Knowing instinctively who that was, Nick rushed back into the MAHO-dou, the others following swiftly.

As expected, who else but Dela, the Majokai's traveling shopkeeper and messenger, popped out of the closet, singing in varying notes as she usually did.

"Dela-san, you can probably tell we're not ready yet," Majorika explained. "The shop doesn't open until tomorrow."

"Yeah, so you'll have to wait a while to try and charge us for your expensive tools... Witch Conya," Nick taunted.

Dela seemed to get a rise out of that, immediately rounding on Nick. "Hey, I thought I told you never to call me that!" Dela shouted. Witch Conya was a name she often took up when she wanted to be discreet about what she sold, not wanting any malfunctioning equipment to be traced back to her. Nick had learned this during an outing in the Oshare Zakka MAHO-dou five years before, after Momoko had taught him what she'd learned about dealing with Dela and her peculiar ways.

"That's why it's so much fun teasing you about it," Nick laughed. The others just sweatdropped at Nick's teasing.

By this point, once Dela had calmed down, Nick noticed a strange-looking half-moon brooch on Dela's robe.

"You're wearing your brooch, so that must mean you're here on official messenger business," Nick noted. "What's up?"

Dela's mood suddenly dropped, as she remembered why she had come here in the first place, only to get caught up in the knowledge that the MAHO-dou was returning to life.

"I actually brought someone with me," Dela noted, stepping to the side to reveal that Majorin had also made the journey to the MAHO-dou.

"Hey, Majorin-san, I didn't know you were here!" Momoko exclaimed. "What's the occasion?"

Majorin just took a few steps forward, a somber expression on her face. She knew this was going to be so hard to say.

"Majorin, what's the matter?" Nick asked.

"Nick, do you remember Majonomi?" Majorin asked.

Nick perked up at the mention of the young witch he'd grown attached to over the last couple years. "Is she doing okay, Majorin? I haven't heard anything from her in two years! Did she say anything about me?"

Majorin sighed heavily. This was always the hardest part.

"Nick... I'm afraid that Majonomi has suddenly passed away."

Everyone gasped in surprise when they heard that, but surprisingly, Nick just stood there, shocked completely silent by the news.

"She... she's dead?"

"We don't know the exact details of how it happened," Majorin continued. "I only found out this morning from her majesty, but I wish I could tell you more. I'm so sorry, Nick..."

For once, Nick didn't have anything to say in response.

"Pardon me if I sound kinda stupid for saying this, but who the heck is Majonomi?" Aiko asked, only to be lightly slapped on the shoulder by Onpu.

"Ai-chan, be nice," Onpu admonished.

"Yeah, I'd like to know, too," Doremi replied. "Who exactly IS Majonomi?"

"She was a witch that Nick had made friends with," Momoko explained, since Nick was still too shell-shocked to talk. "About two years after we separated, Nick and I always used to visit Majomonroe's shop every single day. But one day, Nick saw someone nearby, so he followed her to another magic shop that no one ever really noticed unless they looked hard enough. That was where he met Majonomi-san. It was pretty easy to see that she was a witch. At first, Nick was curious as to why Majonomi-san was still in the human world after the problem we had with Majotourbillon and the curse. She told him that she had once been married to a human like Majotourbillon was, and she felt a special connection to the human world that she couldn't let go of. We visited her every day after that. Majonomi-san was like a second mother to Nick, which seemed like it was helping him considering that his parents were going through a rough patch back then."

Once she was finished with her story, Momoko walked up and hugged Nick tightly. "We lost contact with her two years ago, and Nick got really worried about her. Unfortunately, we never heard from her again."

Nick looked up at Momoko, tears falling from his eyes. The yellow witch smiled comfortingly, reaching out to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Nick, in spite of his sorrow, couldn't help but crack a tiny smile. Momoko was always so sweet to him. He reached out to return his girlfriend's embrace, desperately seeking the comfort she was providing.

The Ojamajos knew that Nick didn't take deaths well. When his grandmother had died, Nick had just about lost it, locking himself in his room for an entire night and believing it was his fault she had died, due to an argument they'd had not too long before. Though Nick and his grandmother had fought often due to their differing views, they still loved each other, and Nick had been devastated when she'd passed away. Momoko, bless her heart, had come to talk him into coming out of his funk. Nick had admitted that this event was the first time that he'd thought Momoko had feelings for him.

"I know it's gotta be hard for you, Nick," Momoko stated to her boyfriend. "But you don't ever have to feel like you can't let your emotions out. I felt the same way when Majomonroe died. But you can cry if you want to. You've got your friends. And you've got me."

At that point, Nick couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out crying, burying himself in his girlfriend's hug. Momoko just closed her eyes and smiled, rubbing her hand in circles on her boyfriend's back.

"There, there, Nick. Just let it all out," Momoko advised. "Just let yourself go."

Momoko knew from personal experience that Nick often had trouble properly displaying his emotions out of fear of what others would think of him. He was only a teenager, after all.

Before long, Nick had managed to calm himself down, having purged quite a lot of his torment in his tears.

"Are you feeling better, Nick?" Momoko asked.

"A... a little," Nick responded. "I'm not used to letting myself cry like that in front of so many people. I couldn't even do it at obaa-chan's funeral, and it's gonna tear me up when we go to Majonomi's funeral..."

Momoko just patted Nick's head reassuringly. But before she could say something in response, a loud rumble shook the surrounding area, accompanied by a noise that seemed to almost sound like a sonic boom.

"What the hell was that noise?!" Dela exclaimed.

Majorika set her gaze on the nearby window, where she saw the hooded figure of Erika, the Dark Lord Morticon's minion and soul collector.

"It's that hooded creep again!" Doremi exclaimed.

"Damn it, Erika, this is really not the time for any of this..." Nick growled, separating himself from Momoko and reaching for his tap. The other Ojamajos quickly followed, transforming almost instantly.

Once everyone was transformed, they rushed outside to meet their hooded nemesis head-on.

"So it seems your shop has opened again," Erika sneered. "What do you hope to accomplish with that?"

"It's called 'compassion', you little jerk! Look it up sometime!" Onpu shouted.

"Whatever," Erika shot back.

"Erika, this is SO not the time for you to be messing with us," Nick proclaimed, drawing his wand and pointing it threateningly at his nemesis. "So I'm only giving you one chance to leave us alone before I come over there and chop you into little meatballs."

"Ooh, the boy is agitated today," Erika giggled, clearly mocking Nick. "What's the occasion?"

"None of your damn business!" Nick shouted, rushing forward and slashing at Erika with his wand. After landing the first strike, Nick began stabbing at Erika so fast, he appeared to become a blur.

" _Brighter than the heavens!"_ Nick chanted. _"Mystic Arte! Extreme Stars!"_

Nick slashed at Erika enough times to form a star shape, then thrust his wand into the middle of the shape, shattering the star and causing a lot of damage to Erika. She stumbled backwards a few steps before catching her breath and regaining her posture, looking like she hadn't even been damaged at all. Her hood had fallen down during this, revealing her long brown hair and dark pink eyes.

"I'll admit, you've got some skill," Erika stated as she reached into her robe and brandished her twin keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion. "But I'm afraid even skill won't help you against me. Now I suggest you get on your knees and beg for the mercy you know you won't get. Just like she did."

"You've got some nerve, freak-o!" Aiko growled, looking like she'd start wailing on Erika at any second. "Do you really think we'd just bend to your whims like a sack of rotten potatoes?! Now if you don't..."

The blue witch was cut off when Nick raised his hand, his now stoic gaze fixed completely on Erika. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"You seriously don't know?" Erika taunted. "Today, I managed to slay a witch. And I know from personal experience that full-blood witches tend to have extremely powerful pure souls. I have officially made quite a leap in my task of resurrecting my master."

Nick locked eyes with Erika, his anger and rage growing with each passing second. "Was her name Majonomi, by any chance?" Nick's voice was low and hateful.

"Oh, you catch on quick," Erika proclaimed, intending to drag it out and torment Nick as long as she could. "It was so delightful, the way she begged and pleaded for her life. My favorite part was the expression of pure terror on her silly face as I cut her down. And what's even better, the finishing blow happened when I chopped her worthless head off with both of my weapons. It was so DELICIOUS!"

"STOP IT!" Momoko shouted, clenching her wand tightly in her hands. "Stop tormenting my boyfriend, you little bitch!"

"Oh, but he needs to hear this," Erika quipped. "I know many ways to kill someone. Flesh that burns, bones that break. But to shatter one's spirit is to truly destroy them. That's basically what I did to that witch lady before I cut her up, and that's exactly what I plan to do to this boy now."

"Okay, I've officially had enough of you by now!" Fami growled. "Girls, let's take her out!"

But before anyone could take even a step towards Erika, an intense wave of invisible energy radiated out from nearby, so strong it nearly forced the Ojamajos to their knees.

"What the heck was that?" Poppu wondered.

"Magical pressure," Majorin explained. "It's usually a more direct way of sensing where a witch or wizard is located. But I've never felt pressure that strong before... where did it come from?"

Another wave passed by, and this time, Momoko realized where it was originating from. "That... that wave just came from Nick... what's going on?"

But Nick didn't seem to be doing much at the moment. He was just standing there, his head bowed down, and his fists clenched and shaking uncontrollably.

"Aw, is the poor little baby going to cry?" Erika taunted. "Come on, let's see your pathetic little tears that will never bring her back to you."

With this insult, something in Nick's brain snapped like an overstretched rubber band. He lifted his head and screamed in outrage to the sky, so loud it almost felt like the sonic boom from earlier.

Erika didn't seem at all fazed, and was about to go and attack when yet another wave of magical pressure surged from Nick, this wave ten times more intense than the first two. This time, the Ojamajos did fall to their knees due to the immense pressure of the wave. Erika stood rooted to her spot, confused at what was going on.

The ground around Nick cracked and splintered, forming a small crater around him. As his tormented scream resounded in the heavens, a brilliant aura of light flared to life around him, growing larger and fiercer with each passing second until it became so bright that everyone had to cover their eyes.

"What the heck is Kelly-kun doin'?!" Aiko shouted.

"Heck if I know!" Doremi yelled.

After about twenty seconds, the bright light faded, only to reveal something even stranger.

Momoko looked in utter disbelief at what she saw, trying to comprehend just what exactly she was seeing.

Nick was standing there, his clenched fists slightly to his side, but that wasn't what bewildered everyone.

His hair had become spiky and shifted from tree brown to a radiant golden yellow, standing straight up and giving him an appearance similar to that of Super Sonic.

Nick's eyes had become a soul-piercing shade of red, reflecting his now barely-restrained anger.

And a fierce golden aura was raging around him, showing that his strength had increased quite considerably thanks in part to this rather strange transformation.

The Ojamajos looked with surprise at what Nick had just done.

"What did he...?" Doremi asked.

Majorin suddenly realized something.

"That couldn't be," Majorin gasped. "Could it?"

Erika took a few cautious steps backwards. Not even two minutes ago, she and Nick were pretty much even-steven when it came to their magical power. But now, Nick's magical power had seemingly shot leagues ahead of her own.

What was going on here?

"What... what are you?" Erika gasped.

Nick just smirked viciously; something very out-of-character for him.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Nick growled, his voice deep and menacing.

Suddenly, Nick disappeared in a quick flash, appearing to have phased out of existence.

Erika was only able to take one look around before she felt intense, unbearable hurt in her stomach area and couldn't do anything but double over in excruciating pain.

Momoko got a good look at the battlefield and saw that Nick had reappeared in front of Erika, having literally moved so fast that the others had only seen him disappear and reappear. The reason Erika had doubled over in pain was because Nick had used his now-immense movement speed to jet forward and drive his elbow into Erika's chest so forcefully, the others could easily hear Erika's ribs crack and break from the sheer force of the strike. The sickening cracking sound echoed across the empty, night-soaked street, actually making a few of the Ojamajos cringe at the sound.

Not satisfied with just this, the super-powered Nick lashed out with a leaping roundhouse kick that struck Erika upside the head and sent her stumbling back, making her lose her grip on her keyblades. Nick continued his assault by rushing forward and uppercutting Erika into the air (resisting the rather inappropriate urge to shout "SHORYUKEN" as he did so), then leaping after her and driving home a two-handed overhead slam that sent the hooded girl crashing back to the ground in a world of pain.

"Had enough?" Nick growled, his voice still deep and rather threatening.

"You..." Erika gasped, trying to regain her composure through the pain of her shattered ribs. "You... you little... you little BASTARD!"

Erika let out a war cry, fighting through the pain, and charged straight at Nick, hoping to land a hefty right hook and bend his head back.

So she was surprised when Nick intercepted her strike and caught her hand in his own as easily as grabbing a cookie. Erika tried to force her way through Nick's defenses, but he wouldn't crumble. He stayed perfectly still for a couple seconds, simply holding Erika's fist at bay.

Then, Nick began to force Erika's hand down at an unnatural angle. Erika attempted to resist, but she couldn't break the green witch's iron grip on her hand. After a bit of this, Erika's hand bent at an angle, and another cracking sound resounded.

Erika yelped in pain again, but didn't have time to ruminate on it, as Nick had just tossed her away with little to no effort.

Focusing on finishing this fight, Nick again disappeared from his spot and reappeared further down the street. After a split second, Nick leapt into the air so quickly it appeared that he was flying up to meet Erika as she fell.

Not wasting a single second, Nick formed a golden energy sword in his right hand, and as he reached Erika, slashed with extreme ferocity at her chest area. This single strike seemed to do it, as Erika collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Nick landed on the ground not too far away, dispelling the energy sword he'd just used and staring hatefully at Erika. The whole ordeal hadn't even lasted a minute.

"I hope you've learned your lesson," Nick proclaimed.

Erika tried to respond, but found she couldn't. Her injuries were far too severe, and though they weren't life-threatening, Nick had done quite a number on her with so few actual attacks.

"You... think... you think you've won..." Erika gasped, trying her best not to exacerbate her injuries and make them any worse. "You may have gotten the better of me now... but those powers can't protect you forever..."

Nick responded to this by dashing forward and brutally slamming his clenched fist into Erika's face, breaking her nose with no effort at all and sending her back.

"This... isn't... over..." Erika growled, wincing at her broken ribs, and disappeared in a flash of darkness.

Once the street was calm again, Nick walked back to the Ojamajos, his spiky hair still glowing. His raging aura was lighting up the street around him.

Momoko cautiously took a step forward, not sure what Nick was about to do. To her slight relief, Nick looked at her and smiled. At that, he seemed to revert back to his normal self, falling down as if exhausted. Luckily, Momoko was right there to catch him.

After a couple minutes, Nick opened his eyes, which were back to their normal shade of brown. "Ugh... why does my head hurt?"

"Nick? Are you okay?" Momoko asked.

"I should be..." Nick responded. "Is that selfish bitch gone?"

"Um, YEAH," Aiko shot back. "You seriously don't remember that you just completely _destroyed_ her?!"

"That's the weird part," Nick replied. "It felt... well, really odd what had happened. The last thing I really remember was Erika taunting me, then I was screaming and I felt like I lost control of my body, but I could still see myself kicking her face in. It kinda seemed like I was watching a movie through the eyes of the main character. But whatever I did, I hope she takes the hint..."

"Nick, what you just did was something I never thought I'd see again..." Majorin cut in, still recovering from the surprise and shock of seeing Nick transform and annihilate Erika. "You just performed what is known in the Majokai lore as 'super transformation'. It's a very special trait found only in select individuals that increases their magical strength by at least an order of magnitude."

"So anyone who does that gets gold hair, red eyes, and becomes highly unstable?" Aiko wondered.

"Ai-chan, seriously, knock it off," Nick quipped.

"The transformation and its qualities and appearances vary depending on the desires of the individual in question," Majorin continued. "Were you thinking about anything specific right before you transformed, Nick?"

"I..." Nick started, trying to remember anything specific. "I guess I wanted some strength or something, _anything_ , that could teach that chick a lesson, to get her to stop messing with me. It's bad enough that Majonomi's dead, but it's even worse when I found out that Erika was the one who killed her. And to make it still worse, she starts tormenting me about it by sharing all of the details of it. I just wanted to knock her block off and make her stop tormenting me. Then, something in my head snapped, and I guess that's when I transformed."

"That's what your transformation is, then," Majorin noted. "You wanted the strength to put that hooded woman in her place. That desire to shut her up must have triggered your transformation."

"I sure did a number on her, all right," Nick stated. "Cracked her ribs, dislocated her wrist, broke her nose... I hope she learned something from that..."

"You sounded kinda unstable when you transformed," Doremi noted. "You were really angry at her for some reason..."

"If that's true, I'd probably be better off staying away from that transformation for a while until I can learn to control it," Nick replied. "The last thing I want to do is transform at the wrong time and hurt someone I care about just because I couldn't keep my damn temper in check..."

Momoko looked down at him and smiled. They grew up so fast, didn't they?

* * *

 _A few days later..._

Nick wasn't really listening to the words coming from the funeral director as the Majokai prepared to put Majonomi's body to rest. He was too focused on trying not to lose control of himself, still devastated by the loss of the young witch who had been like a second mother to him.

 _Damn it... I'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry..._ Nick thought. It was too hard for him to keep his composure in times like this. When he was back in New York, going to middle school with Momoko, many of the school bullies had started insulting him when he'd cried over the loss of his grandmother, and only Momoko's piercing gazes had made them back off.

Speaking of which, Momoko had just walked up, letting her hand rest on Nick's shoulder.

"Do you need to cry?" Momoko asked. Nick couldn't do much but nod.

Momoko smiled and opened her arms for her boyfriend. Nick accepted the embrace, finally letting the tears fall.

 _Majonomi... rest in peace, wherever you are,_ Nick thought.

He could have sworn it was his grief-addled mind playing tricks on him, but Nick thought he heard Majonomi's voice saying "thank you" somewhere in his mind.

* * *

On the next episode...

Nick: Things are finally starting to pick up here, right, girls?

Doremi: Hey, Kelly-kun, I didn't know you had a sister...

Nick: Most likely because she was... wait a second! Oh, jeez, she's gonna kill me when she finds out why we've been gone!

Aiko: You're not gonna tell her what you are, are ya?

Hazuki: Well, at the very least, we don't have to worry about the curse anymore...

Nick: It's not like that. You guys don't know Kirino-chan like I do. Once she locks on to something she's looking for, she won't rest until she finds it!

Momoko: Gotta give credit where credit is due, silly! She is _your_ sister after all!

Nick: Oof, don't remind me about that. I just hope I can tell her without losing my butt... Kirino-chan may be nice most of the time, but when she's angry... yikes!

Onpu: She looks kinda cute, actually... she doesn't look like the type to get angry like that...

Nick: I really, _really_ hope I can get through this without her roasting me... it's gonna be one heck of a challenge... Next time on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond & Pearl: The Final Cut_! "A Sibling's Trust! Little Sister Kirino Springs Into Action!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamonds!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!


	7. She's My Little Sister

_Back in New York City..._

"Ahh, that was so much fun!"

A young girl of about thirteen years, with waist-length orange hair and pink eyes, walked back towards the Kelly household. It had been a fun three weeks with her aunt and uncle. Who knew Hawaii would be such a fun place to stay?

Nick's little sister Kirino often wondered why their aunt and uncle decided to move to the United States, and to Hawaii of all places, but after that little vacation, she wasn't complaining.

"If only I could have gone back in February... I heard this year's Pro Bowl was a real knockdown," Kirino giggled as she fished out her key and unlocked the front door.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"

No response.

Kirino looked around a couple times, feeling seriously weirded out. "Hello? Anyone here?"

Kirino took a few cautious steps forward, still wondering just what was going on. Usually, at least Nick was downstairs before his parents were whenever she got home from school (she went to a different school than Nick had in middle school). The fact that he wasn't down here right now meant that something was wrong.

"Okay, Kirino, don't panic... there has to be a logical explanation for this... they said they'd all be home when I got back..."

Her mind made up, Kirino set her belongings down, then stormed out the front door and onto the streets.

"Let's see if I can find something!"

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger proudly presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_  
Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

On Today's Episode: Nick's little sister Kirino returns from her vacation only to find that no one is home. When her search leads her to Majomonroe's shop, then to Misora, and finally straight into the clutches of Erika, Nick's gonna have to fight harder than he's ever fought to save his sister. But can he do it while still dancing around his magical powers? Or does Kirino already suspect something of the sort?

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of nine years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi or any of its affiliations. They belong solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

* * *

"Hey, what the hell happened to all of you?!" Majorika gasped in shock when the Ojamajos arrived at the Jewelry World MAHO-dou. "You all look like you were put in a blender!"

"Erika just doesn't know when to give up," Aiko growled, rubbing her bruised shoulder. "She attacked us on our way here, and we're lucky we managed to stomp her. But she didn't go quietly."

"Wait, wasn't she injured from when Kelly-kun went all gold-hair on her?" Majorika wondered.

"That sure didn't seem to stop her," Hazuki answered.

"Oh, god, my hands hurt," Doremi groaned. "I feel like I just went ten rounds with mighty Thor."

"I feel like I was mauled by Ares," Onpu proclaimed.

"Are you gonna be able to work today?" Majorika asked. "Because I have a feeling we're gonna have a lot of customers today."

"Always thinking about the profits, as always..." Momoko stated.

"Only because Dela-san's still hounding us," Majorika quipped.

"I seriously need to ask 'Witch Conya' to respect rule number one of working in a magic shop," Nick stated. "'Do not EVER hound the store employees to make sales. Let the employees do their own work'."

Majorika was, in a word, impressed. "You still have the rules memorized, huh?"

"Momoko taught me everything she knows about dealing with Dela," Nick replied. "I guess it just stuck with me even after all these years."

Hazuki looked out the nearby window and saw someone approaching the shop. "We have a customer!"

"Everyone, assume your positions!" Nick exclaimed, and the Ojamajos quickly took their assigned places around the store.

Momoko greeted the customer when he arrived. "Welcome to the Jewelry World MAHO-dou, sir! How can we assist you today?"

Episode 7: A Younger Sibling's Trust! Little Sister Kirino Springs Into Action!

 _New York, 4:09 PM..._

"Seriously, where are you guys?!" Kirino shouted, still zipping up and down the streets, wondering where her family was.

After a while, Kirino eventually came across Majomonroe's Magical Sweets Shop. Kirino looked around, seeming to sense something particular.

"Yeah, he's been here recently," Kirino noted. "I can still smell the cookies he made."

Kirino didn't know much about this shop, other than the fact that Nick and Momoko went there almost every day to do various things, mostly baking. She did know that the shop belonged to someone who had been very dear to Momoko, and that she visited it every day for the past five years.

So suffice it to say that Kirino believed this would be a good place to look.

Stepping into the shop, Kirino activated her patented "family radar" (which was actually just Kirino tuning everything else out but the senses of her family) and began searching the place.

After about five minutes of fruitless searching, Kirino sighed heavily. "Nothing. I was so sure they'd be here!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Kirino saw a door she hadn't noticed during her reconnaissance. It definitely looked strange enough.

"Hmm... wonder what this could be?" Kirino asked herself, now officially in "detective mode". Due to watching many old Sherlock Holmes movies during her childhood (and some Detective Conan movies more recently), Kirino had gained aspirations of becoming a detective when she grew up, even forming a mystery-solving club at her school.

Taking cautious steps towards the door, Kirino steeled herself, ready for anything she would find.

But when she opened the door, she saw nothing but rainbow light.

"What the heck?"

At that moment, some kind of invisible force began pulling at her, dragging her slowly towards the door.

"Hey, this thing is possessed!" was the last thing Kirino was able to say before being yanked into the glowing door of light.

* * *

 _The dark realm, unknown time..._

Erika opened her eyes, disrupting her usual meditation procedures.

"Something is wrong, my dear?" Morticon asked, wondering what Erika had sensed. To be honest, he was quite surprised that her senses were still as sharp as ever, especially considering her body was still healing from the savage beatdown she had suffered under Nick's hands just the other day.

"There's someone moving through the tunnels that connect the Majokai to the human world," Erika answered. "Whoever they are, those tunnels are sending them straight to Misora."

"Strange. Who could have found such a door?"

"Hold on, master, there's more," Erika continued. "The signature of whoever it is feels very familiar. It's not quite a match to that boy, but still. What should we do, master?"

"Merely observe the situation for now, Erika," Morticon stated. "As you can probably tell, you are in no condition to fight. You are lucky that you managed to escape from those wretched Ojamajos today."

"They jumped me, master," Erika shot back. "It's not my fault that they can't see I wasn't actually there to fight. But noooooooo, that boy has to get all impatient and charge straight into battle. One of these days, his impatience is going to be the death of him."

"Either way, it would be best for you to stay here until you are fully healed. The regeneration process seems to speed up when you are in my presence."

"And hopefully it'll help, because when I'm healed, I intend to return that beating he gave me tenfold," Erika growled, closing her eyes and returning to her meditation.

* * *

 _Jewelry World MAHO-dou, 4:45 PM..._

"So far, so good," Nick stated as another customer walked out of the store. "We're actually making some progress today."

Nick cast a glance to the side; Aiko had her face in front of one of the many fans scattered around the store, enjoying the cool breeze.

"Ai-chan, get your face away from there!" Nick shouted.

"No way, Kelly-kun! It's too freakin' hot out there!" Aiko shot back. She was right; it was an unusually hot mid-April day.

"Well, then let me go adjust the AC and you won't have to risk getting your face shredded!" Nick quipped.

"God, it's horrible outside," Aiko groaned. "Why is it suddenly as hot as Hawaii right now?"

"Hey, how would you know what Hawaii's like?" Nick responded. "You've never been..."

Nick stopped on a dime as something in his mind clicked. Wasn't there someone he knew that was in Hawaii right now?

After a couple seconds, the pieces fell into place, and Nick let out a piercing scream as he realized what was wrong.

"Hey, Kelly-kun, what was that scream about?" Doremi exclaimed, rushing in from the storage room.

"Oh, jeez, I'm dead meat..." Nick babbled, looking as if he was about to have a nervous breakdown. "My SISTER is in Hawaii right now!"

A question mark appeared over Doremi's head. "Kelly-kun, I didn't know you had a sister..."

"I never really talked much about her back then," Nick explained. "She was still young when we were having our adventures. Problem is, she comes back from her vacation today, and I'm pretty damn sure she has no idea about what's been happening!"

Almost as if on cue, one of the nearby doors started shaking.

"Oh, if that's Dela-san again, I'm gonna whoop her!" Aiko proclaimed.

The door opened itself, and Kirino came stumbling out of it, crashing head-on into Nick due to having too much momentum.

"Ow... now I'm gonna have road rash..." Kirino groaned. "God, do I hate rapid transports..."

Kirino looked down and noticed that she had fallen right on top of her brother.

"ONII-CHAN! I found you at last!" Kirino squealed, glomping her already fallen brother.

"Um, sis, how exactly did you get here?" Nick wondered.

Kirino just huffed. "Oh, _that's_ a fine hello! I've spent almost two straight hours looking for you, and I suddenly get pulled through a freaky glowing door and into a strange store!"

Kirino's anger quickly faded as she reached out to hug Nick. "Ah, but I'm just glad you're okay, at least!"

"Um, little lady, do you have a REASON to be hugging him like that?!" Aiko quipped. "Ugh, I should have known. He's still a playboy. No way he'll ever change..."

Nick shot Aiko an angry glare. "Um, Ai-chan, that is my SISTER you're cutting down."

Aiko's eyes shot wide open at this, and she laughed nervously before backing away.

"Sorry about that, sis," Nick laughed, helping Kirino pick herself up. "Ai-chan's got it stuck in her head that I'm a playboy just because I have a lot of friends that are girls."

"So, do you _have_ a girlfriend?" Kirino asked, obviously interested.

Momoko answered that question for Kirino, walking up to Nick and latching onto his arm in an affectionate way.

Kirino squealed happily. "Oh my gosh, that's AMAZING! How'd it happen? You've gotta tell me EVERYTHING!"

Nick suddenly lost his good mood when he realized that Kirino likely wouldn't believe the story he would tell. _Could_ he tell her? At least they didn't have to worry about being turned into witch frogs, having broken the curse many years ago. But the question remained: what would Kirino do and/or say if they told her what had been going on?

"Well, Kirino-chan, it's kind of complicated," Nick stated.

The green witch immediately regretted saying that, as Kirino suddenly began to panic. "What? What happened?! Did they get kidnapped? Are they being held hostage?! Or worse, shanghaied by pirates?! I never should have trusted that guy!"

Nick waved his hand, effectively quieting Kirino. "You really need to stop watching those _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movies."

"But Jack Sparrow's so handsome..." Kirino swooned before immediately snapping back to her panic state. "But if that's not it, where did they go?"

Nick sighed heavily. "I know I'm not going to like this, but... Kirino-chan, as my little sister, I've told you a lot of things that weren't exactly true, even if I was just teasing you. But I always hated it when people tried to sugarcoat things to me, so as much as you may think I'm a freak after I tell you, you deserve to know the truth."

But before Nick could finish his story, a loud and piercing scream resounded from outside.

"Oh, wonderful," Doremi groaned. "I think I know why somebody's screaming out there."

The entire group rushed outside to check on the disturbance, and sure enough, Erika was standing in the middle of the street, her dual keyblades drawn.

The only difference was that Erika was clutching a scared-looking Majorin in her arms, holding the black keyblade, Oblivion, dangerously close to Majorin's neck.

"The fact that you're here _and_ threatening us with a hostage situation must mean you're fully healed after that smackdown I laid on you," Nick taunted.

"Oh, yes," Erika giggled. "And I feel SO much better now that I'm back on my feet. To celebrate, I invited a party guest."

"Um, what the heck is going on here?" Kirino asked, obviously quite confused.

"Let her go. NOW," Nick growled.

"You must really be stupid if you think idle threats will get through to me," Erika shot back. "Now, any of you make one step and I will slit her down the middle."

Erika raised her free hand and threw Oathkeeper straight for Nick. The silver keyblade began to spin rapidly as it approached Nick, but he easily avoided the attack by dodging to the right.

"Oh, what was that?" Nick teased.

"NICK, INCOMING!" Kirino shouted too late, as Oathkeeper came back and began pinging around, striking Nick on every pass before eventually returning to Erika, who charged it with her dark powers and slashed it vertically, creating a dark energy blade that struck Nick quite harshly, sending him stumbling back.

"Oh, what, you're going to just stand there and take it?" Erika taunted. "You're no fun. But it's just as well, because I intend to return that beating tenfold, make no mistake about it."

Nick clutched the wound on his chest. "Well, go ahead and do it. You won't have your hostage if you try to lay into me."

To Nick's honest surprise, Erika just started laughing. "Oh, you'd want me to believe that, wouldn't you? Thinking I can't fight just because I have someone to capture? I was right. Your impatience is going to be the death of you someday."

Erika quickly released Majorin from her clutches, only to wave her keyblades and create an evil-looking skeletal hand that rose from the ground and clutched Majorin tightly.

"You're EVIL, lady!" Fami shouted.

"I know I am. That just makes it more fun for me," Erika snickered, raising both keyblades above her head and channeling her dark powers into it like she had earlier.

Erika put her keyblades together and the dark magic surrounding them grew in size until it formed the shape of a large black sword.

"Oh, that's not good," Onpu gasped.

"NOW TASTE OBLIVION!" Erika shouted, striking with her energy weapon and slashing downwards in a vertical motion, aiming straight for Nick.

Nick knew there wasn't any way he could dodge such an attack in his wounded state, but he stood his ground nonetheless.

"STOP!"

This new voice caused everyone present to turn around. There, standing in full regal dress, was the Queen herself. Her veil was lifted, and she looked angry.

"Well, well. The queen of the magical world," Erika stated, not at all scared of the Queen. "It's about time you finally made a house call. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

The Queen's next words surprised everyone else.

"Let go of my girlfriend THIS INSTANT."

A question mark appeared over Erika's head as she looked back at Majorin.

"Oh, so you want to play the hero for your little lover?" Erika taunted, readying her keyblades. "Well, glad to oblige!"

Erika swung the dark energy sword she was aiming for Nick at the Queen now, but she easily batted it away, dispelling the dark energy.

The Queen instantly made her way to the trapped Majorin, easily swatting Erika aside.

The Queen waved her hands, and the evil skeleton hand that was trapping Majorin dissolved into nothingness.

"Are you okay, Majorin?" the Queen asked. "That selfish little tart didn't hurt you, did she?"

"I'm fine," Majorin answered as the Queen helped her away from the battle scene. "Just got the wind taken out of me for a bit."

Aiko grinned at this exchange. "Ah, Majorin-san, you sly devil."

"Eh?" Majorin gasped before suddenly turning as red as a tomato. "Ah, ah, I-I just... that is, that is to say I..."

The Queen just giggled. "It's okay, my dear. They deserve to know. I wouldn't want to hide the fact that I love you."

"Um... when did you, um..." Hazuki asked, her face beet red.

"I believe it was right after you all began your adventure," the Queen replied.

"I'd actually been having those feelings for a good few years," Majorin explained. "But it was only after you all started this journey of yours that I finally worked up the courage to admit my feelings. It was so hard to do, but I'm just glad she accepted my feelings."

"Way to go, your majesty," Momoko giggled.

"COULD SOMBODY PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IN THE _HELL_ IS GOING ON HERE?!" Kirino screamed, flailing her arms around much like Hazuki would whenever she saw a ghost.

Nick realized this just as Erika began to pick herself up. "Girls, I think we need to go ahead and change."

"Change? Into what?" Kirino wondered.

"Well, Kirino-chan, since you saw everything that just went down, I don't think this will surprise you much," Nick answered, bringing out his Jewel Tap.

"Girls, you ready?" Nick exclaimed.

"READY!" the other Ojamajos shouted.

 **(Group transformation sequence: The Ojamajos all thrust their hands into the air, holding their Jewel Taps. The last to hold their Jewel Tap up is Nick, and his tap opens up like a cell phone to reveal a glowing green jewel. The jewel brightens before shooting a rainbow spiral of energy into the air. The energy eventually returns to the ground and circles the nine Ojamajos, who are all standing in a line. They hold out their Jewel Taps before drawing a circle with them, shouting their group henshin phrase, "Until all are one, we will fight as one! Ojamajos, change!" The Ojamajos hold their taps in front of them as energy explodes from the Jewel Taps. When the screen can be seen clearly, the Ojamajos each do their own personal choreography across a bright blue background filled with sparkles before transforming into their witch forms: Doremi does a pirouette, Hazuki does a dance step, Aiko does a free throw jump, Onpu spins around and poses, Momoko does a flying somersault, Hana does a cute hop, Nick does a scissor kick, Poppu does a roundhouse, and Fami pretends to ice-skate. Once everyone is transformed, they fall from the sky and land perfectly on the ground, placing their Jewel Taps in the center of their uniforms and slamming their palms into it materialize their witch hats. The Ojamajos look ahead and shout "We are the Ojamajos, guardians and defenders of the witch world!" before all performing their post-henshin poses together.)**

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" Erika sneered.

"I don't know the meaning of the words 'give up'," Nick shot back.

Kirino just stood there, taking in everything that had just happened.

"So... so..." Kirino gasped before squealing loudly. "That is SO AWESOME!"

Kirino began zipping around the Ojamajos, complimenting them on their outfits. "Oh, you actually got the lace on there?! WOW, that's real fabric! Did you get that from a designer?!"

"So... you're not freaked out by the fact that we're witches?" Hazuki asked cautiously.

"Why would I be freaked?" Kirino giggled. "Witches are AWESOME! Well, except for that one time Conan fought a witch in that murder case..."

"Um, sis, that was in a movie," Nick replied.

"Why must I be surrounded by such weirdos?" Erika growled. "I just had to pick THIS town to start our conquest... You know what, I've had enough of this nonsense. I'll assume a tactical retreat for now."

Kirino instantly rounded on Erika. "And YOU!" The orange-haired girl immediately ran up to the retreating Erika and started pounding on her back. "What's your deal, messing with my brother and his friends like that?!"

"Hey, get the hell off of me, you brat!" Erika growled, slashing vertically with Oblivion and catching Kirino on the shoulder.

This action immediately set Nick into motion. He began to draw his right hand back, emerald energy beginning to converge around his open hand.

"Hey, hey, what's that in your hand?" Erika wondered.

"See for yourself," Nick growled.

" _The bow and string of a determine boy, take this! Ojamajo Arrow of Light!"_

Nick thrust his open palm forward, and a gigantic burst of jade energy erupted from his hands, thundering across the street and sending Erika flying back a considerable distance.

"Momoko, let's do it quickly, before she gets up!" Nick shouted.

"Right!" Momoko replied, rushing up to join hands with Nick.

Not wasting any time, the two teenagers thrust their free hands to the sky, sending a green and yellow bolt of energy screaming into the clouds.

A second later, two streams of lightning shot down from the sky and began to concentrate around Nick and Momoko's open hands.

Kirino slowly picked herself up and, ignoring the blatant wound on her shoulder, rushed over to grab Erika in what appeared to be a full nelson.

"H-h-hey! Get your filthy hands off of me!" Erika shouted.

"Not until you can learn to settle down!" Kirino shot back.

" _Spirits of the earth..."_ Momoko chanted, sparkles swirling around her hand.

" _Spirits of the stars..."_ Nick chanted, electricity gathering around his hand.

Nick and Momoko tossed their free hands to the side, and their collected energy separated and began to swirl around both of them.

" _Lend us your wills and give us the power to grant a miracle!"_ Nick and Momoko shouted as the energy surrounding them began to grow fierce. The two teenagers drew their hands back.

" _Our beautiful souls..."_ Momoko chanted, yellow electricity bursting from her free hand.

" _...shall crush your dark heart!"_ Nick chanted, green electricity bursting from his free hand.

"I said, LET GO!" Erika growled.

To her surprise, Kirino smiled and giggled. "Okay."

With that, Kirino unlatched herself from Erika and walked away.

"Um, what the hell?" Erika queried.

" _Double Ojamajo Sparkle Screw!"_ Nick and Momoko shouted.

Cursing her own carelessness, Erika turned around just in time to see Nick and Momoko slam their joined hands through the energy field surrounding them. This motion caused two gigantic beams of green and yellow energy to erupt from their hands. The beams eventually joined together into one spiraling silver burst of magical power that rocketed at Erika, slamming into her and dealing severe damage.

When the energy dispersed, Erika looked seriously worn down, even though she wasn't anywhere near as damaged as the last time she'd been defeated.

"Ugh... I don't know why I got careless, but rest assured that won't happen again," Erika growled. "But for now, I'll go away. Next time we meet, you shouldn't be surprised if one of you forgets something very special."

And with those confusing words, Erika disappeared.

"Oh, whatever," Onpu quipped.

"Well, that was fun," Momoko giggled. "And at least we got to use her combo on her this time."

"Yeah, last time, Kelly-kun destroyed her all by himself," Aiko replied.

"Okay, now that THIS mess is over..." Kirino stated. "WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO EXPLAIN ALL OF THIS TO ME?!"

Nick steadied himself. "Ooh, boy... this is gonna be tricky."

Kirino's expression softened. "Seriously, just tell me what's going on. I won't freak out, onii-chan. Promise."

"Let's get inside, Kirino-san," Majorin responded, still holding onto the Queen. "We'll explain everything there."

* * *

 _Jewelry World MAHO-dou, 5:59 PM..._

"So, you haven't told me about what happened to mom and dad," Kirino stated once the Ojamajos had finished their explanation of the events that had taken place over the past two weeks. Her right shoulder was bandaged from where Erika had slashed her, but thankfully, the wound hadn't been too deep, and would heal just fine. "Were they really kidnapped by pirates? Those jerks of sailors captained by the ruthless peg leg Swantoon..."

"Kelly-kun, your sister has quite a vivid imagination," Doremi giggled.

"It's really my fault," Nick admitted. "Well, sis, this is the part I really didn't want to tell you, but it looks like I have no choice now. What happened to mom and dad... is the whole reason we're even on this adventure in the first place. Two weeks ago, Erika and Morticon put our parents under an evil spell and they attacked me. The queen realized that they wouldn't stop hunting me, and considering it happened to the families of almost everyone here, they corralled our parents and put them under strict watch in the Majokai. And I have a feeling they'll be there a while, since I don't think that spell is going to break until we trash Morticon."

Kirino stood still for a couple seconds, absorbing all of the information.

"So... we're not gonna see mom and dad for a while?" Kirino asked.

"I'm afraid so, sis," Nick replied, sighing heavily.

"Then... can I stay with you, onii-chan?"

"Of course, if that's okay with Momoko. Because that's where I'm staying right now."

Momoko nodded, silently showing her approval.

"YES! I have roomies now!" Kirino shouted, causing everyone to laugh.

Majorin stepped into the group before anyone could leave. "Before we part for the day, I have something for Kirino-san."

Kirino instantly hopped to her feet. "What's up?"

Majorin smiled. "For your bravery in the face of sheer danger today, I would like to reward you with this."

Majorin reached behind her back and produced a tenth Jewel Tap. Kirino's eyes began sparkling when she caught sight of it.

"For... for me?"

"You have proven your worth against forces much stronger than yourself," Majorin proclaimed. "What you did today shows pure bravery and conviction in the face of evil. Will you accept this?"

Kirino thought for a second. "Does it come with free chicken dumplings?"

Everyone sweatdropped at this. Only Nick knew that chicken dumplings were Kirino's favorite food.

Before anyone could respond, Kirino began to laugh.

"Oh, you guys, can't you take a joke? Of COURSE I'm in!" Kirino giggled.

Majorin smiled before handing the Jewel Tap over to Kirino.

"Okay, let's see if I've got this," Kirino stated before activating her Jewel Tap. _"This is the vivid imagination of the beautiful dreamer! Ojamajo Kirino, transform!"_

Kirino flicked her hands out, and brown music notes spiraled around her to form her gloves. She leaped into the air, cutting a few stylish flips that formed the boots, then landed and flashed a peace sign, this materializing the main body of her uniform. She placed her Jewel Tap onto the center of her uniform, then tapped it twice to produce her witch hat. Her transformation complete, Kirino did a quick roundhouse kick before putting two fingers to her forehead, much like Nick would, and flashing another peace sign.

" _The dreamy bronze, Kirino-chi!"_

"YAY! Hana-chan has a new mama!" Hana exclaimed, rushing up to glomp Kirino.

Kirino looked across the Ojamajos, all conveying their welcomes in their own way.

 _Ah, life is good,_ Kirino thought, smiling brightly. _I've got my big brother back, and now I'm a fellow witch with awesome magical powers. Could this day get any better?_

* * *

On the next episode...

Momoko: Ah, tomorrow's my birthday! I seriously can't believe I'm going to be sixteen years old!

Nick: Guess it's time to throw a big birthday party, right?

Doremi: ...um, for who?

Nick: ...seriously, Doremi-chan, what did you just say?

Hazuki: I'm kind of confused, Kelly-kun. Who was that girl you were talking to earlier?

Momoko: Hazuki-chan, don't tell me you forgot who I am?!

Aiko: Okay, I'm confused. Is Kelly-kun trying to woo another girl?

Nick: Ai-chan, you can NOT be serious.

Onpu: Yeah, I think we deserve some explanations here. Are you seeing someone, Kelly-kun?

Nick: Okay, that's about it. I think I have some investigating to do, and if whoever's behind this is who I think it is, she's gonna pay DEARLY for making my girlfriend cry like this.

Aiko: Dude, way to get over-emotional.

Nick: Next time on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond & Pearl: The Final Cut_! "Momoko's Birthday Blues! The Ultimate Proclamation of Love!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamonds!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!


	8. Birthday Blues

_May 6th, 9:19 A.M._

"GOOD MORNING, CITIZENS OF MISORA! It's a beautiful Sunday morning here at the first quarter of nine in the early! I hope you're as excited as I am, because today's gonna be a super-awesome day! Now, here's Minamino with the traffic report!"

"Oh, shut up already," Momoko groaned through fluttery consciousness, reaching over to slap off her alarm clock. "It's too early on a Sunday for 'perky'..."

And now she couldn't fall back to sleep. Perfect. What was the point of sleeping until ten on the weekends if you were constantly woken up by stupid things?

But as the yellow witch began to close her eyes again and drift back to the world of sleep, her half-closed left eye caught something scribbled on her personal calendar.

This was enough to jolt Momoko into complete consciousness.

"Oh, my god, I almost forgot!" Momoko giggled as she hopped straight out of bed, smoothing down her nightgown and racing towards her closet.

Within minutes, Momoko was showered and dressed, ready to start a very special day for her.

"Maybe I should head over to the MAHO-dou first, see if I can find anything about what they're planning," Momoko stated to herself, unable to contain her excitement as she pretty much skipped out the front door.

Needless to say, Momoko Asuka was very happy today.

"Yay! It's my sixteenth birthday today!"

* * *

(The pages constantly turn, no matter how long the reader takes. When one story ends, another story will inevitably start. In the end, there is only a new beginning.)

The Blue Time Ranger proudly presents:  
 _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond and Pearl: The Final Cut_  
Story Created: July 8th, 2011

Summary: It's been five years since _Ojamajo Doremi_ ended. All the conflicts were resolved, and the girls went their separate ways, enjoying their stable lives. But was that really the end of the story? When Nick Kelly, a long-time friend of the Ojamajos, is attacked by his own parents, it forces him and Momoko to make their way back to the Majokai after five long years. This simple act inexplicably brings the rest of the gang back to Misora and back to their magical lives, due to similar circumstances. Now equipped with new gear and brand new powers, the Ojamajos must solve the mystery of why their parents have turned on them. It won't be easy, though, as a mysterious force is watching them from the shadows, intent on taking over the Majokai by any means necessary...

On Today's Episode: Today is Momoko's sixteenth birthday, and to be honest, she's very excited. But a routine trip to the MAHO-dou turns into disaster when she finds that no one but Nick even knows who she is. Is this truly a case of random amnesia, or is Erika once again behind such a nefarious plot? Regardless, Nick's going to have to do some investigating to fix this problem before something goes horribly wrong...

Disclaimer (since I know I have to say this): I've said it for the better part of nine years and I still have to say it. I do not own anything related to Ojamajo Doremi or any of its affiliations. They belong solely to Toei Animation and whoever licenses it for their country. The only things of it I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. And I am not infringing on any copyrights. I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own Ojamajo Doremi, which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?

* * *

"I'M HERE!" Momoko shouted in English as she burst through the doors of the Jewelry World MAHO-dou.

Doremi cast a glance at the yellow witch, though she seemed confused. The next second, Momoko got the shock of her young life.

"Hey, what's your name, little lady?" Aiko asked casually.

Momoko stood there, frozen in disbelief. "Ai-chan, what did you say?"

Doremi looked at Aiko, then back to Momoko. "I don't think I've seen you around here, have I?"

"Guys, this isn't funny!" Momoko exclaimed, beginning to shake a little. "We've been friends for almost seven years now!"

"Um, I think I'd remember something like that," Onpu replied. "And I don't forget things easily."

"Says the girl who almost forgot to come to work today!" Doremi proclaimed, to which Hazuki just laughed and Onpu blushed horribly.

"Hey, it's not my fault that Majorika forgot to fix the stupid alarm clock she gave me!" Onpu shouted.

A million thoughts were swirling through Momoko's confused mind at that very point in time, the one that was the loudest being _they forgot about me_.

Momoko couldn't take anymore. After a sharp inhale, she burst out crying and stormed away through the same doors she'd arrived from.

"Um... what the heck was THAT all about?" Aiko asked.

"Beats me," Hazuki answered.

Kirino, Hana, Fami, and Poppu popped out from the storage room a second later. "Hey, did we miss something?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure," Onpu responded.

If any of the Ojamajos had been looking outside, they would have seen a hooded woman standing on top of a faraway telephone pole, her dual keyblades raised and glowing with a dark sheen.

"Excellent," Erika laughed. "I should have thought of this a long time ago."

Episode 8: Momoko's Birthday Blues! The Ultimate Proclamation of Love!

Back at Momoko's house, not long after she'd left for the MAHO-dou, Nick managed to find his own way back to the waking world. Thankfully, he didn't need reminding of what today was, having been anticipating it for at least a month now.

"I guess she went out," Nick realized as he headed for the shower. "Then, I guess as long as she's out, I can go get it. I swear to god, they'd better still be holding it for me..."

Once Nick was dressed, he headed out with his backpack slung on his back. After a brisk ten-minute walk (he usually always walked to wherever he needed to go unless absolutely necessary to do it another way; he had always admitted it was good exercise), he had found his target: the Eternal Diamond jewelry shop. Normally, he would have bought something from the Jewelry World MAHO-dou for something like this, but this occasion was something special, and so Nick wasn't pulling any punches.

"Welcome to Eternal Diamond, customer. What can we assist you with today?" the store clerk at the desk proclaimed. She was a young woman, about twenty-nine years of age, and she had platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. She had been very helpful to Nick in getting his surprise ready, and Nick knew he could trust her no matter what. The young lady dropped her professional manner and burst into a bright and sunny smile upon seeing Nick.

"Oh, hello, Kelly-san! It's good to see you again!" the lady giggled.

"Good morning, Mayaka-san," Nick answered. "I've got a question. You are still holding _it_ for me, right?"

Mayaka nodded. "Of course! I wouldn't give something this special away!" Mayaka quickly reached under the counter and produced a gift-wrapped box. "I've been holding it ever since you placed the order. You must love this girl a LOT to make it to your exact specifications."

"Pretty much," Nick replied. "We've known each other for at least seven years, but we've only started going out recently. The truth is, I really, really love her, Mayaka-san. I just never had the courage to admit my feelings until now. And since her birthday's today, and her sixteenth no less, I figured today had to be something special."

"Well, dearie, you came to the right place," Mayaka giggled as she handed the wrapped box to Nick. "That'll be 28000 yen, please."

 _Holy...!_ Nick thought, reaching into his wallet and checking how much he had. _Oh, thank god, I just barely have enough. I guess that summer paper route I had last year finally paid off for me._

Nick took the money from his wallet and handed it over to Mayaka. "Transaction complete! Thanks for shopping at Eternal Diamond! Hope to see you again, Kelly-san!" Mayaka proclaimed as Nick exited the store.

 _Score! I finally got the perfect gift for Momoko!_ Nick thought. _Now to get ready for tonight. I hope the girls are hurrying up with the preparations._

Nick slipped the box into his backpack before rushing down the street towards the MAHO-dou.

But when he was halfway to the shop, something very strange happened.

He thought he heard crying.

Before Nick could pinpoint the source of these sounds, he saw Momoko rushing by him, bawling her eyes out.

"Huh? Hey, WAIT!" Nick shouted, rushing off after his girlfriend. But Momoko proved too fast for him in her upset state, and Nick quickly lost track of her.

"What in the hell was THAT all about?!" Nick wondered. "Why was Momoko so upset? And why do I think this reeks of a certain hooded girl?"

Deciding to query later, Nick brandished his Jewel Tap, glad no one was around this area.

"Let's see if magic can help me out here. _I say 'bring it on'! Mahoutsukai Nick, transform!_ "

Nick lashed out with a left hook, then a right-handed uppercut to form his gloves. He quickly did a spin before landing with a snap kick, this forming the body of his uniform. Nick followed this up with a few roundhouse kicks to form the boots. After retrieving his witch hat, Nick did one more jumping spin before putting two fingers on his left hand to his forehead and throwing out his right hand.

" _The sparkling diamond, Kelly-chi!"_

Nick readied his wand, taking slow, cautious steps in case he was ambushed by Erika or worse.

"I've never seen Momoko that upset before," Nick noted. "And usually, it takes a LOT for something to upset her..."

Nick remembered the incident right after he'd met Momoko, when Tamaki had tattled on Momoko because of her earring. Seki-sensei hadn't known the significance of the earring at that point, and had scolded Momoko. The yellow witch had run away crying, and Nick had resisted a very strong urge to tell off Seki-sensei for it.

"I've got a feeling this has something to do with her," Nick stated.

"Maybe I do, and maybe I don't."

Just as expected. Nick spun himself around so that he was face-to-face with Erika, his new nemesis.

"It's really all up to you," Erika giggled, twirling her twin keyblades in her palms. "A matter of perception, if you will."

"Erika, I'm already in a hurry here, so I'm only going to ask you once," Nick growled. "Is this your fault, somehow?"

Erika just smiled, letting her hood down to reveal her long brown hair and pink eyes. "Like I said, it's a matter of perception. But I guess that when you're trapped in a vortex of swirling emotions, your perception can't really be trusted, can it?"

That was the only answer Nick needed to hear. He quickly brandished his wand, aiming it threateningly at Erika.

"You'd better reverse what you did before I hurt you," Nick growled. "You want another taste of what I did to you when I went into my super form?!"

"Idle threats don't faze me," Erika sneered. "Do you have the ability to back up your claims? If not, then just go away."

Letting out a battle cry, Nick charged forward, lashing out at Erika with multiple strikes, all of which were easily blocked.

"Oh, _please_ ," Erika sneered. "Maybe THIS is what you were trying to do?!"

Erika shot back with rapid-fire keyblade slashes, becoming a whirling curtain of death and destruction. Nick was amazed that he was able to block all of these strikes without getting hurt in the least.

But he quickly rethought getting cocky when one of Erika's wild slashes managed to clip his shoulder and force him back. Erika obviously took full advantage of this drop in Nick's guard, using both of her keyblades to hammer at him with everything she had.

This turning of the tables finally stopped when Nick reached up to hold his wand in a horizontal motion, blocking both keyblades and giving him the leverage to push Erika away.

"Not bad," Erika giggled. "You've actually managed to hold me off. But as you can plainly see, I'm improving, too. How long do you think you'll last?"

 _Damn it, she has gotten stronger,_ Nick thought. _I didn't want to do this, but I guess I don't have any other choice._

"Probably a lot longer after this!" Nick shouted, crossing his arms over his chest and beginning to concentrate.

Nick counted himself lucky that Erika didn't seem to know what he was doing; this gave him much needed time to charge up the power necessary to do what he had to do.

"What the heck are you..." Erika queried, then becoming surprised when Nick threw his arms out and shifted into his golden-haired super form. A golden energy aura exploded outward from his body as he transformed, and he set his now-red eyes on Erika.

"So, are you ready to give up?" Nick growled. He normally became quite aggressive in his super form, far beyond his normal self, because of the immense amounts of magical power needed to attain and sustain this form.

"I'm not scared of you this time!" Erika shouted. "You caught me off guard last time, but now we're on even ground!"

Nick just huffed and shot forward at blinding speeds, appearing to have just been a mirage.

Erika quickly closed her eyes, listening for any sign of Nick approaching.

A powerful strike to her back and a searing pain coursing through her shoulders brought her back to reality as Nick reappeared and delivered a forceful foot to the small of her back.

Once Erika had recovered, she whipped her keyblades around in a direct threat. "Is that your best? You're never going to get anywhere if you're just plodding along."

"Oh, you wanna see me get serious?" Nick growled. "Last time I did that like this, I just about broke every bone in your body."

"Like I said earlier, you merely caught me off guard that time. But here's a little food for thought," Erika proclaimed, suddenly sounding more serious than she normally did. "Should you be worrying about me, or should you worry about what your precious girlfriend might do in the state she's in right now?"

This statement managed to hit home with Nick; his eyes widened before narrowing threateningly. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"Think about it, Nick. Her friends have completely forgotten that she's even existed, and she's crying like a little baby. Who knows what she could do like this? It might not be a good thing, depending on your viewpoint," Erika explained.

Nick's eyes again widened to their fullest as he understood just what Erika was trying to say.

"And now you get it," Erika giggled. "So what will you do? Will you stay and continue to engage in this rather pointless fight? Or will you go attempt to save your little lover from doing the unthinkable? Make your choice, Nick. You don't have much time."

Just then, even through his aggressive state, Nick seemed to catch something.

A sphere-shaped crystal, no more than a baseball's in size, was hanging from a necklace around Erika's neck.

 _Hey, I wonder..._ Nick thought. His mind made up, he shot forwards again, his wand armed and ready.

Erika sneered, holding her keyblades up in a defensive stance. "You're wasting your precious time, boy!"

Nick just smirked, continuing his advance.

When he reached Erika, she thrust her keyblades towards him, just as expected. Nick ducked under the strike, whipping his left hand upwards to knock Erika's hands away, and then thrust his wand straight forward with his right hand, piercing through Erika's jewel and instantly shattering it. Golden yellow wisps of light appeared from the crystal's remains and shot into the sky.

Erika stumbled back, shocked that Nick had figured out the secret to her spell. "What?! How did you know what to do?!"

"You weren't wearing that last time," Nick replied, taking a few steps back and returning to his normal self. "So I put two and two together and made five."

"Oh, joke while you can, boy," Erika growled, sheathing her weapons. "But while I take my leave, you should probably go stop that girl from doing something she'll regret."

Saying no more, Erika waved her hand and disappeared in a flash.

Despite feeling a victory today, Nick realized that Erika was right. Momoko was in a very fragile emotional state right now, and no one could predict what she would do.

Nick quickly sheathed his wand, detransformed from his witch form, and began a mad rush after his girlfriend.

Slipping his hand into his pocket, Nick pulled out his cell phone and began to dial a number.

"Doremi-chan? This is Nick. Did you see Momoko come by the store today? ... ...yeah. It was Erika, as usual. But Momoko's really upset right now, and I have to go catch her before she... well, I don't think you'd wanna know. I need you and the others to start the preparations and get everything ready by the time I bring her over. ...about seven or so. Got it. Thanks, Doremi-chan. You girls are a lifesaver. See you soon."

Nick hung up and increased his speed, hoping to catch Momoko before something went horribly wrong.

* * *

Momoko was sitting on the couch back at her house, still horrified after what had just happened. She had stopped crying long ago, but was still stunned by the blow she had been dealt.

"What did I do wrong?" Momoko asked nobody in particular. "I... why?"

Momoko's thoughts drifted to her friends, only to be interrupted by a series of loud knocks on her door.

Wondering who'd be coming to the house this early (she had no idea where Nick had run off to), Momoko made her way to the door and opened it slowly, only to notice Nick standing there, looking frantic and completely out of breath.

Deciding to take a chance, Momoko addressed her boyfriend. "Is... is everything okay?" she asked. Nick's hands immediately lurched forward to land on Momoko's shoulders.

"I was gonna ask _you_ that, Momoko. What's wrong?"

Tears started to well up in Momoko's eyes at this seemingly simple statement.

 _He... at least he remembers me..._ Momoko thought.

 _Double-DUH! Of course he remembers! You two made a promise, remember_? her mental voice shouted.

Nick was growing concerned by the fact that Momoko wasn't responding to his query. "Momoko, seriously. What's the matter? PLEASE say something!"

With that, something in Momoko's mind snapped like an overstretched rubber band, and she burst out crying, throwing herself into her boyfriend's arms.

Nick just returned his girlfriend's embrace, rubbing her back and silently consoling her when he could.

By this point, Minori had walked into the room, having heard her daughter's proclamations. "Is... is everything okay?"

"Momoko kinda had a bit of a breakdown," Nick explained. "She should be all right in a bit. Could we have a moment alone, Asuka-san?"

"Sure," Minori replied before backing out of the room.

Nick slowly led Momoko to the couch so they could sit down. "Is everything okay, sweetheart?" Nick asked.

"Everyone forgot about me," Momoko replied shortly.

"That's not true, silly," Nick answered. "Doremi-chan and the others were worried sick when I called her."

Momoko perked up at this. "What?"

"They didn't forget you on purpose," Nick explained. "This whole mess was Erika's fault. I don't know what she hoped to gain, but she had put a spell on the others that wiped you from their memories. I ran into her while trying to find you and I fought her hard enough to shatter her little crystal ball thing and break the spell."

Momoko's eyes watered up even more. "Oh, I am so STUPID!"

"Momoko, no one thinks you're stupid. All of this was beyond your control."

"So... you actually fought that creep just because she made me sad?"

"Exactly."

In spite of her sorrow, Momoko couldn't help but smile. "That's the sign of a wonderful boyfriend, Nick. Thank you so much..."

Momoko leaned closer to Nick, hugging him tighter. She didn't want to let go of him.

"And... I'm sorry I caused you and the others so much trouble..."

"Like I said, sweetie, not your fault. Erika seems to exist only to mess with us at every turn. All we can do is teach her a lesson whenever she tries to screw us over."

Momoko nodded, a few tears leaking out.

"Happy birthday, Momoko," Nick stated.

"Thanks, Nick," Momoko giggled, suddenly feeling a lot better as she leaned over to kiss Nick. Her boyfriend was always so sweet.

A few minutes later, Minori returned to the living room to check on her daughter, only to be met with a very endearing sight.

Nick and Momoko were fast asleep on the couch, their arms around each other and both cuddled up for warmth. They had fallen asleep watching reruns of a Pretty Cure show, ironic considering they'd assisted a group of actual Pretty Cures not too long ago.

"I think I'll let them sleep," Minori giggled as she snuck out of the room, leaving the two teenage lovers to their nap.

* * *

 _6:57 P.M., that same night..._

"Let's hope they've got a marble Neapolitan cake over there," Momoko giggled as she and Nick made their way to the MAHO-dou for Momoko's birthday party. She and Nick had just finished a family dinner at Momoko's favorite night spot, The Twilight. She had always wanted to go there ever since getting interested in Misora nightlife, and Nick had been the one to suggest they take Momoko there for her birthday.

"After everything you just ate? Wow, Momoko, and especially considering the strange flavor," Nick teased. He often had fun debating with Momoko over what kind of cake was the best kind, and they'd often create rather crazy combinations.

"Oh, Nick, you know I'm a sucker for Neapolitan," Momoko responded.

"I remember last year," Nick laughed. "Your mom had to buy another whole case of that ice cream because you thought it was a good idea to scarf it all in one night."

"Oh, _please_ do not remind me of that," Momoko groaned. "I'm still trying to forget that nightmare and the fact that it even existed... ooh, god, I'm gonna be regretting that until I'm twenty..."

Nick smiled, patting Momoko's shoulder lightly. "Trust me, we've got something neat-o lined up."

"Seriously, Nick, you are, without a doubt, the best boyfriend ever," Momoko giggled, leaning over to hug Nick tightly.

Nick cast a glance at his watch as the two young lovers approached the Jewelry World MAHO-dou. Seven on the dot. Just in time.

"Okay, Momoko dear, you ready?" Nick asked. Momoko nodded excitedly.

With that, the green witch reached out to grasp the doorknob in his hand. Not wasting any time, Nick yanked the door open to reveal a nicely-sized cake sitting on a table in the center of the store. All eight of the other Ojamajos were gathered in a circle around the table, a few brightly-wrapped presents standing in strategically placed positions around the cake, and a giant banner decorated with random drawings from all the others read "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMOKO!" in big bright letters.

"We heard about what happened today," Doremi explained. "And we're sorry we upset you, Momo-chan, even if it was beyond our control."

"So we decided to go all-out with this awesome cake!" Onpu giggled. "And let's hope you have some of it, especially since I know where you and Kelly-kun went for dinner."

"You SUCK, getting to eat at The Twilight!" Aiko exclaimed.

"Don't worry about Ai-chan, she's just jealous," Hazuki replied.

"Okay, I've got a bit of a surprise for your first present here," Kirino stated, bringing out a piece of paper and a pencil. "Hold still, you two."

Nick and Momoko held their positions, deciding to strike a cute pose as Kirino began to rapidly sweep her pencil over the paper. Aside from her detective aspirations, Kirino was also a very talented artist, like a certain Pretty Cure that most of them knew.

By the time Kirino was finished, the drawing had quite faithfully recreated the pose Nick and Momoko were striking.

"Wow, Kelly-kun, your sister's so talented!" Poppu giggled. "I wish Doremi could draw like that."

"HEY!" Doremi growled. Everyone burst out laughing at this.

Later on, Momoko was trying out one of her presents, from Onpu herself: a cosplay costume of Cure Sunshine from Heartcatch Pretty Cure, who just happened to be Momoko's favorite Pretty Cure.

"Agh, we can't get the ponytails just right," Aiko growled. Momoko had let her hair down so the others could attempt to style it like Cure Sunshine's hair. Obviously, they weren't having much success.

"Ah, just leave it," Kirino noted. "She looks nice enough without them anyway."

"GUYS!" Momoko exclaimed. "It HAS to have the ponytails, otherwise I won't look like Cure Sunshine! The ponytails sell the whole image!"

Nick thought for a second, suddenly coming to an idea. He began to twirl his wand, the Koseki Poron.

" _Asobu soba de sakiyaki sore! Let's style Momoko's hair into Cure Sunshine!"_

Momoko's hair twirled around, held up by Nick's magic spell, and eventually became two long ponytails similar to those of Cure Sunshine.

"There we go! Now, since I need to say this..." Momoko giggled, striking Cure Sunshine's signature pose. _"The flower bathing in the rays of the sun, Cure Sunshine!"_

"Spot-on!" the other Ojamajos shouted, approving of the disguise.

By the time all the Ojamajos had left (they had school tomorrow, after all), it was well past ten. Momoko had thanked them all profusely for a wonderful birthday as they'd departed.

"Well, that was fun," Momoko giggled in English. She and Nick often liked to slip back into English whenever the two of them were alone. "I had a great time, Nick."

"Well, it's not over quite yet," Nick admitted. "I kinda wanted to save the best gift for last."

Without any more hesitation, Nick reached into his backpack and pulled out the gift box he'd acquired from Eternal Diamond.

"Ooh, fancy!" Momoko stated. "I wonder what's in it?"

"Open it and you'll see," Nick replied.

Momoko quickly went to town on the wrapping, revealing the jewelry box in only two seconds. But when she opened it, Momoko was instantly rendered speechless.

Inside the velvet jewelry box was a silver ring. On said ring sat two jewels, one gold and one emerald. The way the jewels connected, they formed the shape of a heart.

Momoko couldn't really say much, just looking at Nick for an explanation.

"It's an Eternal Diamond specialty," Nick explained. "It's called a 'promise ring'. Mayaka-san helped me with some of the intricate details. When you give it to someone, it symbolizes you love them and want to spend your life with them."

Momoko almost looked like she was about to cry. "But... but I don't have one for you..."

Nick just smiled. "They came in pairs," he replied, showing off his right index finger, which had a similar ring on it. "Momoko, I love you. I always have. I really wanted to do something special for you this year, and it looks like I got it right, huh?"

Unable to hold herself back anymore, Momoko burst into tears and threw her arms around her boyfriend, crying with joy and happiness.

While she did this, Nick took Momoko's right hand and slid the other promise ring onto her index finger.

"It fits," Momoko gasped. "It fits perfectly."

"I had Mayaka-san help me with that, too," Nick admitted. "She's a peach when it comes to customer service."

Momoko smiled as wide as she could, leaning in to passionately kiss her boyfriend. The two of them held their liplock for a good twenty seconds before pulling away to catch some much-needed air.

"I said it before, Nick, and I'll say it again; you're the best boyfriend ever," Momoko sighed happily. "I love you, Nick. I always have, and I always will."

"I love you, too, Momoko. Now and forever."

Momoko just smiled, cuddling into the embrace of her wonderful boyfriend. She was so happy.

 _Best birthday EVER._

* * *

On the next episode...

Nick: What in holy night is Erika looking for?

Aiko: What? She's back AGAIN?! Why doesn't she ever give up?!

Doremi: Hold your horses, Ai-chan. She doesn't appear to be seeking US out. But I WOULD like to know what she's searching for.

Erika: I see no reason to tell you. You're my mortal enemies, so why would I divulge anything about what I'm searching for?

Nick: Listen, Erika, if there's something you need help with, why not just ask?

Onpu: WHAT?! Kelly-kun, don't trust her! She's evil!

Nick: ...you girls seriously didn't notice it?

Aiko: Notice WHAT?!

Nick: There's a reason behind what she's doing. A method to Erika's madness. If I can figure out that reason, we could probably make a great team.

Aiko: Are you serious, Kelly-kun?

Momoko: Now hold on, everybody. Nick's never let us down before. He's always given us a reason to trust him. Let's trust him in this.

Aiko: Fine. But if that chick tries anything, she's space dust!

Nick: Next time on _Ojamajo Doremi Diamond & Pearl: The Final Cut_! "Nights of the Cursed! Erika's Mysterious Soul Search!"

Momoko: Remember, memories are pearl and friendships are diamonds!

Doremi: Stay true to what you believe, and don't ever give up!


End file.
